The Least Travelled Road
by LECwrite
Summary: This is the third story in The Roads Travelled series and is set roughly 2 months after A Fork in the Road.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N - Well here we are, the first chapter of the final story in my Roads Travelled Series, I hope you will enjoy this as much as the others. I lost all but one paragraph of this chapter so had to completely re-write it but I think I did better than the originally planned first one. Please R&R and if you want to PM for any reasons, no problem. I am a mother of 6 with no apparent social life!_

_This is the only chapter I have written so I am not sure when the 2nd one will be finished, I will try to work on it asap as I have ideas for most of the chapters swimming around my head. Incidentally this story will have some bumps along the way as it wouldn't be Dawson's Creek if it didn't._

The Least Travelled Road

Chapter 1

Joey regarded Pacey from the front seat, his fingers clenched and unclenched over the steering wheel, he chewed on his lip as the stinging behind his eyes threatened his stoic expression he was trying to convey. Joey could feel the lump forming in her throat, trying to desperately hold back her own tears which threatened to spill over.

"I'm sorry Jo. I just can't do this." Joey frowned at Pacey, her lip trembling."Can we just, can we just sit." Pacey looked to Joey finally, noticing the tears unshed in her eyes. She nodded numbly.

"Pace" She began. Pacey held up his hand to stop her, he shook his head.

"You think you're hurting Pacey? I feel it too. It's not just you." Pacey frowned and rubbed his eyes glumly. He looked in the rearview mirror at his son. Ben appeared oblivious to everything around him. He was thankful for that at least. "We've been living in our own little bubble over the weeks Pacey, not even thinking about the future." Joey sighed, she wiped a single tear which had begun it's trek down her cheek.

"Jo, please don't. It'll just make it harder." Joey nodded. Pacey watched as Joey slowly opened the door and got out of the car, she moved slowly to the back door and reached in to pull the bag out. Joey took a deep breath and wiped her eyes free from tears as she made her way around to the driver's side. She opened Pacey's door, he looked to her sadly.

"I can't Jo, I can't say good bye." Joey chewed on her lip and shook her head. She leaned in to Pacey, it was getting too much. This had to be said, he need to hear this before they could both move on. She knew he was hurting, but so was she.

Pacey finally able to gather it together enough to remove himself from the car stood slowly, his eyes on Joey as he slowly moved to the back to get Ben out.

Ben looked to his father and sighed in exasperation.

"Daddy, i'll be home this afternoon" He said. Pacey wiped his eyes numbly, Joey smiled at Ben before looked to Pacey.

"Pace, its...it's kindergarten, not the end of the world."

"Well I know. It just feels like it. He's growing up too fast." Ben rolled his eyes at his father as he took his and Joey's hand in his own and they made their way over the road. Pacey narrowed his eyes as he looked down to his son.

"Stop that" He said.

"What?"

"The eyes, the rolling of the eyes. I already get that from Jo. I don't need it from you." Pacey looked to Joey then who smirked his way. "You are corrupting our son Jo, turning him against me." He spoke. Joey's footing faltered slightly and she stopped for a beat in surprise. Pacey looked behind him in confusion.

"What?" Joey's only response was a lopsided smile and a brief shake of her head before continuing on. Pacey shrugged.

Joey had to literally drag Pacey from the school, she gripped his hand and tugged at his arm toward the exit. Wondering how long it would take before security was called and what then?

Anarchy and a precedent would then be set whereby hysterical parents would then be given permission to spend there days clutching to their children on their first day of school.

"We will see him this afternoon" Joey managed to get Pacey outside of the school perimeter "Stop being a big baby." She groaned, pushing on his back across the road to the car.

"But..." Pacey's defense weakened as he looked to Joey, he dropped his head in defeat and nodded glumly. Joey gave a curt nod of the head and made her way to her side of the car.

Pacey took a breath, exhaling noisily and sat himself behind the wheel. He looked to Joey while the engine turned over and he put the truck into gear.

"Sorry Jo." He said in mild embarrassment, Joey smiled at him and shrugged.

"I understand Pace." Pacey nodded and pulled the car out and onto the road. She did find the whole ordeal incredibly sweet, Pacey was an incredible father. Not she was surprised in the least by it but it was certainly wonderful that all of her dreams over the past years since losing their child at how he would have been as a father to their child were met. This was how she imagined Pacey would have acted like.

Joey would even say that Pacey surpassed Mitch Leery in best dad category and while Mitch was unable to compete she knew it would not have been a competition if Mitch were still alive.

Pacey was simply the best father she knew.

The drive home was filled with conversation about the day ahead, Joey's face held an expression of complete joy as she grinned the entire way home. Pacey's would glance to her in confusion until finally once the car was parked he turned in his seat to her.

"What is going on with you?" He asked her finally, unnerved by her happy disposition. Joey's grin only inflated and Pacey couldn't help but smile back despite the unknown reason for it.

"You said our son Pacey." She grinned, laughing lightly as confusion spread across his face. "When you said I was corrupting Ben, you said I was corrupting _our_ son."

Pacey sat for a beat while he mulled this over, pulling out the conversation from earlier.

"Huh" He mused, yes he had indeed said _our_ son instead of _my_ son. He also noticed not only had he said the words but they had left his lips without thought at all. Over the weeks it had become natural to think of Ben as theirs and not his as had been the case in the past, they were in this together and he felt as though Joey was as much invested in this as he. He shrugged and exited the car, holding his hand out for Joey.

"I did didn't I?" Joey nodded happily. "Does it bother you?" He asked her, finally wondering if she took issue with it. Joey offered a lopsided smile before a small frown appeared.

"Does it bother _you_?" She asked him. An easy smile passed his lips and he merely shook his head. They made their way bak to their apartment, their fingers entwined as they gently swung their clasped hands lazily at their sides.

The weeks Joey had shared Pacey's home with he and Ben had fallen into a routine, it was easy. Joey mused how everything had simply fallen into place and wondered how it had become to be that way. While somewhere in the back of her mind the deep rooted cynic was on the look out for the hiding place of the other shoe she mostly walked through her life seeing through the eyes of new Joey's optimism.

Joey made her way into the laundry to start the daily ritual, surprised at the amount of dirty clothes Ben went through on a daily basis. She chuckled as she added to the growing collection of rubber dinosaurs she pulled from his pockets as she sorted his clothes.

"Jo?" Pacey's voice reverberated down the large hall to her.

"Hmm?"

Pacey appeared beside her and pulled her into him, kissing her soundly on the lips.

"What was that for?" She smiled.

"Since when did I need a reason to kiss my beautiful girlfriend" He said, a smile spreading across his face, Joey slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "And thank you. If it weren't for you I may have been admitted to Boston General under sedation" He chuckled.

"Well Pace, you know me. I am all about the crazy boyfriend intervention" Her tongue firmly clanped between her teeth playfully. Pacey raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, that cute" He smiled as Joey's hands slid down to Pacey's chest and she began the unbutton his shirt.

"Jo?" He said slowly "What are you doing?"

"Laundry Pacey" She said as she slid the shirt from his body and tossed it into the washing basket over her shoulder. Pacey smirked as he leant down, his mouth against her skin murmuring as his mouth trailed kisses down her neck.

"Well, I'm sure I can help you out with the chores then." He tugged her shirt off in one swift movement, his hands gliding over her skin, the heat from her seeping into his hands as he moved them down to unzip her skirt and slide it down over her hips and thighs.

Joey gasped as Pacey effortlessly picked her up and sat her on the washing machine, his tongue darting out and swirling against her skin. Joey moaned with pleasure as she wrapped her legs around Pacey's waist and pulled him closer to her.

Jason trudged heavily up the staircase to Pacey and Joey's apartment, wondering why he needed to be there and why he had to invent soume outlandish lie about where he and Pacey were going to be for the next hour.

Well Pacey at least.

He pushed his way into the front door and called out.

"Pace, you here?"

"Uh-huh" Came Pacey's muffled voice from further down the hall.

"What are you doing?" Jason questioned.

"Laundry" Came his distracted voice once more. Jason's eyebrows knit, he shrugged and made his way noisily down the hall.

"Stop Jason."

"Huh?"

"Not _that_ kind of laundry"

"Oh" Jason said in confusion and then realisation dawned. "_Oh_" He chuckled and stopped his forward momentum, he looked up as Pacey entered the hall, zipping up his jeans, bare chested and flushed. Joey suddenly appeared next to him, Pacey chuckled as he leant down and whispered in her ear. Joey glanced down at her shirt, ducking back into the laundry mortified. A moment late she returned with her shirt on the right way out.

"Hey Jason" She smiled impishly. He simply shook his head as the three moved down the hall into the kitchen. "What are you doing here this early, didn't think you worked today?"

Jason eyed Pacey as he carefully spoke.

"Pacey and I are going over the menu changes for the new season" He said, Joey nodded.

"Oh. Okay." She smiled as she switched the kettle on.

"We're going to take a look over some produce from a new supplier too." Pacey said "So, you have to see your publisher today right?" Joey nodded while she pulled a cup out of the dishwasher. "I don't know if we'll be back in time for you to take the car." He said, Joey shrugged and looked over her shoulder to him.

"It's ok, it's nice today. I can walk."

"Okay then." Pacey motioned down the hall and left to put a shirt on. Jason said, uncomfortable for a moment before Pacey returned fully dressed. He kissed Joey goodbye and he and Jason left. Joey finished emptying the dishwasher and made herself a cup of coffee.

She giggled to herself as she made her way back in to finish the load of laundry she hadn't quite gotten to earlier. She finished checking the pockets of Ben's shorts and picked Pacey's shirt up, a small slip of paper was folded up inside. Joey unopened the paper, the corners dogeared, she glanced down at a cell number and the name Charlie written. Joey shrugged and placed the number on the shelf above her next to the fabric softener.

She switched the machine on and left to fill the rest of her morning with other chores, smiling as she happily went about it.

Jason stood beside his car as he played nervously with his car keys, he eyed Pacey suspiciously and, deciding to stop dancing around the topic he opened his mouth.

"Are you cheating on Joey?" He asked him, Pacey's head snapped up in surprise.

"Wha-What?"

"You heard me." He said, his eye's narrowed on Pacey who shifted uneasily beneath his gaze. "This is the third time in two weeks i have had to lie to Joey for you. What the hell Pace?" Pacey moved in the direction of his own car, waving his hand out dismissively.

"Just, just let it go." He said sharply, angry at Jason.

"Pacey"

"No Jason, I am not cheating on her okay." Pacey turned back around and disappeared around the corner, Jason let out an angry breath as he jumped in his own car. He was sick of having to make up excuses for Pacey, only to have him take off without any indication of what he was doing in those hours away.

Pacey was his best friend and he had known him for over five years, it seemed as he spent more time with those who grew up with him he was discovering a whole new side to him. While nothing indicated he was or ever would be unfaithful to anyone much less Joey, something still irked him however.

He simply didn't think Pacey was the type of person who would lie to Joey. While he dubiously accepted Pacey was not involved with anyone else he did know there was something he wondered if he should be aware of.

But if he was supposed to know, wouldn't Pacey have told him?

Jason tried to push the thoughts from his mind, he had felt distracted by the secretive way's in which Pacey had been acting lately, this was even before he had asked him to cover for him, asking him to lie about what they were doing. Jason wasn't sure if it was noticeable in his own relationship with Jen, and while he didn't like to keep things from her he worried that if Pacey was hiding something from Joey and Jen found out Jason knew something then not only would Pacey and Joey have problems in their relationship, but Jason would in his as well.

If Pacey said he wasn't cheating on Joey then he wasn't, right?

Joey smiled as the small blonde standing out the front of their usual meeting place on Charles street. Jen was lost in thought. The warmth of summer had begun to give way to the cooler breeze of fall, it lifted the thin fabric of Jen's jacket softly as she stood, staring into the street.

"Hey" Joey smiled, Jen smiled back at her friend.

"Hey Jo." They moved into a small, trendy cafe and took their seats at their usual table. Joey displayed a grin ear to ear and Jen couldn't help but smile too despite the uneasy feeling she had in the pit of her stomach. "What's with the jubilance?" She asked her. Joey played with the salt and pepper shakers, chewing on her lip before meeting Jen's eyes.

"Pacey called Ben our son this morning" She grinned, Jen's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, really. I take it from the look on your face you are happy about this" Joey offered up a furious nodding of her head, her eyes sparkled in glee. "That's fantastic, how was it today anyway?" She asked. Joey rolled her eyes and smirked by way of reply and all Jen could do was chuckle.

"Papa bear didn't go so well?" She asked knowingly.

"He was practically hysterical Jen, while it was really sweet I just hope he hasn't scarred Ben for live because of it." Jen snorted.

"How about momma bear then, was she much better?" Joey sighed, her eyes dropping to the thick linen table cloth before she slowly looked at Jen with a smirk of contrite.

"Well marginally better I suppose." Jen chuckled at her admission and turned to the waitress who readied her self for their orders.

Jen and Joey sat in an easy silence until Jen opened her mouth, removing any ease from the air around them.

"I think Jason is having an affair." Joey dropped her fork, her head snapping up in surprise.

"What?" While the question was redundant as she had clearly heard her friend she felt the need to ask it anyway. "What makes you think that?"

Jen let out a slow and controlled breath. She place her knife and fork down carefully and picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth before speaking.

"He's been acting. Well odd for lack of a better word." Her nose scrunched up while she picked her fork up.

"Odd how?" Joey asked her, taking a sip from her glass of water. Jen sighed.

"Little things, he spends most of his nights with me, he's practically living with me. He's getting up earlier than usual and always saying he and Pacey are needing to do things for the restaurant. Something just seems off" Joey smiled with reassurance.

"They have had a few things on lately" She nodded. "Jason was around this morning, they were going to work out the new menu change." Joey reached over the table and lay her hand over Jen's in comfort. "You have nothing to worry about, he's crazy about you." Jen frowned, an unconvinced sigh passed her lips.

"He told me they did that last week Joey." Joey's frown matched Jen's.

They spent the rest of Jen's lunch talking about Jen's work and Joey's new illustration job for an author of a new series of children's books. Joey was excited to be getting some work to occupy her time. She was not ready to start her next Doofus Adventures book just yet, although she did had a few ideas clunking about in her head, they were not yet fully developed enough for her to consider them though.

The two women hugged and went their separate ways, Jen hurried off back to work while Joey strolled lazily along the sidewalk, lost in thought over the conversation with Jen. Surely there was a perfect explanation for Jason's secretiveness, surely he would never be unfaithful to Jen would he?

He certainly didn't think he a man capable of it but Jen was certainly convinced. Joey had told Jen she needed to speak to him, she and Pacey had an open and honest relationship which she was thankful for, the change in seasons and Ben starting school had Pacey more than a little distracted too.

Joey pushed the thoughts from her mind as she made her way down the busy streets towards home, while the weather was still now reasonably pleasant she knew she may have to invest in a car at some point in the future.

Pacey called out down the hall to Joey.

"You ready?" Joey's head lifted up from the design brief she had picked up from her publisher on the way home from lunch with Jen that day. It would be good to be able to put some extra money aside toward christmas and while it was a while away she felt she was going to be one of those people. The one who spoiled the children in her life, she was guilty on more than one occasion when it came to Alex and Lily in the past.

Joey jumped up and heading towards where Pacey stood, leaning in the doorway.

"Yep" She smiled as they made their way down to the street to pick Ben up from his first day at school.

While Pacey carefully navigated the busy Monday traffic Joey watched him intently for any signs of a change in his behaviour. Jen's words swirled around inside of her head.

_'He told me they did that last week Joey'_

Was it Jason hiding things from Jen or was he covering something for Pacey, Joey frowned silently in reprimand for her thoughts of mistrust. Maybe Pacey was covering for Jason and Jen's worries weren't without merit after all. Regardless she thought it would be remiss of her to not at least broach the topic.

"So I had lunch with Jen" Joey began, keeping an eye of Pacey's expression.

"Uh-huh. Well you do lunch together most days Jo." He smiled at her. Joey nodded.

"Oh, yes well she mentioned something about Jason." Pacey's jaw clenched momentarily before resuming his usual relaxed state. Joey did notice this despite how quickly it dissipated.

""Hmm?" He said as he turned his head to reverse the truck into a parking spot. "And?" Said with a small amount of impatience and irritation which did not slide Joey's attention, she however chose not to react.

"Oh, well. It's probably just Jen's usual neuroses or something. Nothing major i guess." Pacey nodded and slid from the car, leaning down through the open door to Joey his eyes narrowed marginally.

"You coming?"

Joey pulled her self from her thoughts and mentally shook her self out of her daze, she smiled and exited the car. Falling back behind as Pacey made his way into the school Joey frowned.

"Looks like odd behaviour seems to be contagious." She murmured under her breath as she quickened her steps to catch up and meet with Pacey's stride.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N - I am currently halfway through chapter 4 but will not update for a few days, at least not until I am finished with chapter 4. Please R&R as it means so much to me!_

_I am currently with writers block on the other story I have going but hopefully I will get the next chapter of that out soon._

The Least Travelled Road

Chapter 2

The bed shifted beneath Jen as Jason sat up and quietly crept out of the bedroom, Jen sat up slowly rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The past couple of weeks had gotten worse and while Jen didn't want to believe Jason was being unfaithful to her she knew most of it was simply denial on her behalf. She couldn't keep living in her own little world of delusions. The sound of clinking cutlery sounded through the apartment.

Jen slowly slipped from beneath the warmth of the covers, she reached for her robe and padded out into the kitchen to where Jason sat sipping on a cup of hot coffee.

"Morning beautiful" He smiled lazily, nodding to the coffee. "Coffee's fresh" His smile faltered at Jen's intense staring, a edginess crept across her as she stood scrutinising him. Jason shifted uncomfortably beneath her gaze.

"Babe?" He asked timidly. Jen was pissed, he surmised that much. What he didn't understand was why.

"Don't babe me." She snapped at him. "Who is she?" Her mouth formed into a sneer as she spat the words like poison at him.

"What!?" Jen's face softened at Jason's surprise at her accusation. Complete and utter disbelief which lacked the one thing she was sure she would find; Guilt. "There's no one else Jen." He stood and moved to her.

"You've been acting odd the last month or more Jason. Why?" Despite the seriousness of the situation Jason chuckled lightly, although he appeared to Jen to display some small about of nervousness. "Jason." She prodded for an explanation. Jason sighed and ran a hand through his deep brown hair, and motioned towards the table for them to sit.

"It's Pacey" He said with a bitter tone. Jen's brows knit with concern. "He's been asking me to lie for him. Mostly to Joey." He said "Especially to Joey." Jen shook her head not understanding him. Jason looked to Jen with a worried expression on his face.

"You don't think..." His words trailed off.

"Think what Jase?"

"You don't think he's, he's cheating on Joey do you? I mean he won't tell me why i'm lying for him or where he goes either." Jason slumped over the table and dropped his head to look into his coffee. The weeks had not appeared any better and Jason was thinking the worst about his friend.

He didn't want to believe it but Pacey simply was not willing to offer any plausible excuse. Jason had no choice but to think Pacey was being unfaithful to Joey. Jason slowly raised his head to Jen who was lost in thought, finally she looked at him and shook her head.

"Pacey doesn't cheat." She said simply, this was true. Pacey was faithful. Jason frowned. "Well, has he told you anything?" She asked him.

"No, only that he wasn't cheating on Jo, apart from that. Nothing." Jen sighed.

"Maybe it's something to do with the restaurant?" Jason shrugged.

"Could be." But, he doubted it. Why keep it a secret. "Ben?" he asked and Jen frowned and shrugged.

Jason let out a breath, if it wasn't the restaurant or Ben as those would not be reason to keep secret from Joey, Jason couldn't help but go back to his original thought.

There was another woman in Pacey's life.

Jen stood to make herself a coffee, speaking over her shoulder as she did so.

"I must admit, I really thought you were the one being unfaithful" Jason stood and walked over to Jen, he slipped his arms around her waist and bent down to kiss the top of her head.

"Never." He said, pushing the soft curls from her neck. "I am completely in love with you Jen, no other woman could ever compare." A smile slowly appeared on Jen's face as Jason dropped his lips to her neck, his warm breath sending a tingle down her spine. Jen closed her eyes as his mouth pressed kisses along her skin.

"Goodness me!" Grams exclaimed from the edge of the kitchen. Jason quickly jerked away guiltily, Jen turned around and rolled her eyes.

"Grams we weren't doing anything." She smiled "yet."

Jason chuckled nervously. Grams simply shook her head as she made her way into the kitchen.

"I wasn't born yesterday dear." She spoke with a smirk. "Besides, it wasn't your salacious display of affections which surprised me. It was the early hour in which you, Jennifer, have managed to drag your self out of bed at."

Jason chuckled at he left to get dressed, the momentary diversion of being 'caught' by Grams quickly faded as his thoughts drifted back to Pacey and the lies.

Happy that he and Jen were fine, he wondered the same for Pacey and Joey.

Dawson stood at the kitchen counter, his back to Gail as she made her way into the kitchen. She caught the end of his conversation before he said goodbye after confirming an appointment in Boston.

"Who was that honey?" Dawson whirled around in surprise. He shook his head and slipped his phone is his pocket. "Dawson?" She knew a guilty look if she saw one, especially on her son. Dawson frowned, trying to come up with a suitable answer.

"A lawyer, with filming in Boston for the next few months I need to get some advice about permits." He waved his hand nonchalantly. Despite the permits worked out months before he knew it was a plausible excuse. Gail's eyes narrowed but let it slide, not believing a word of it.

"Oh okay then." She said. "Have you eaten yet?" She asked, Dawson shook his head as he drained his coffee cup.

"No time, I gotta go" He said, dropping a kiss on his mother's head before heading out the door. Gail sighed and turned to make herself a coffee.

"Wow, almost killed by the Dawson tornado" Michael smiled as he entered the kitchen to kiss his wife. "What's wrong sweetheart?"

Abandoning her coffee, Gail motioned to the table for them to sit. Michael sat carefully, adjusting his spectacles as he regarded her with concern. Gail took a deep breath and began.

"I overheard a conversation between Dawson and his friend, Pacey." Michael nodded slowly. "The day of our wedding, they were arguing about Ben." She said. Michael pulled his lip in between his teeth and narrowed his eyes in concentration, trying to recall the name.

"Ah. Hold on Ben; Pacey's son?" He asked, Gail nodded before continuing.

"Yes although it turns out he isn't his son. He's Dawson's."

"What?" Gail nodded solemnly. Michael opened his mouth but nothing came to mind of what to actually say. A thousand questions, the only one which did manage to make it's way to the forefront of his mid was;

"And Dawson didn't tell you?" Gail's face tightened as she shook her head.

"I did manage to find out some information just through the argument and other details came to light by talking to others who know Pacey. One thing though, it appears that Dawson has had nothing to do with his son at all in the last five years."

"So, now what?" Michael asked. Gail frowned and stood up, moving to make them both coffees.

"Dawson mentioned seeing a lawyer, passed it off as something to do with location permits for filming."

"The Creek?" She nodded. "And you don't believe it?"

"He was lying, i know my son. Well, at least I thought I knew him." Michael stood and took over coffee making duties.

"You need to talk to him." He said quietly. Gail nodded as she stared out across the yard from behind the window. Yes she did, she needed to talk to him about this, about everything. She needed to tell him that whatever he was doing or thinking about doing was a mistake.

Pacey rushed down the hall towards the bedroom and poked his head in the door as Joey was flipping the covers off of her. He smiled as his attention was momentarily caught by her long legs as she bent to make the bed. Shaking off the feeling of desire he had neither the time or the opportunity to act on he hurrying the question he had entered the room for in the first place.

"Jo, you know where Ben's dinosaur shirt is?" Joey rolled her eyes and chuckled. "What?"

"Which one Pace?" She smiled.

"The blue one with the yellow and red dinosaur."

"Ah" Joey held a finger up as she made her way into Ben's drawers and pulled out the shirt in question to hand to Pacey "The Spinosaurus" She smiled.

"That's the one, thanks" He quickly leant over to offer a chaste kiss on her lips and was gone in a flurry into the kitchen where Ben sat ready for school, minus a shirt.

"What's the rush Pace?" Joey asked as Pacey tugged Ben's shirt on him roughly, pulled Ben from his seat and started pushing him to the door. "Pace?"

"I - I have to see Jack before he leaves" He tossed over his shoulder as he grabbed his keys and left.

Joey sighed and frowned at the state of the kitchen left by the Witter duo.

Once buckled in Pacey headed over to Jack's house, hoping he would get there before he left for school, sighing with relief when he saw Jack closing the front door behind him on his way out, Pacey told Ben to sit tight and that he wouldn't be long. Pacey leapt from the car to stop Jack at his car.

"Pacey!" He exclaimed and then frowned as the memory of his conversation with Jen earlier seeped into his head. " What's going on with you?" It came out accusatory and hard.

"Huh?"

"I just got off the phone with Jen, who thought Jason was cheating on her with all his sneaking around and such. Turns out he has been covering for you, lying to Joey and Jen for you. What the hell is going on?"

Pacey groaned, great.

Just great.

"Is their someone else?" He asked.

"What! Holy fuck Jack. What kind of man do you take me for. No, there is no one else. There is just Joey, only Joey." He shook his head. "There is a reasonable explanation for all of this." Jack crossed his arms across his chest and quirked his eyebrow up at his friend.

"I'm listening, out with it." Pacey let out a breath.

"It's not bad Jack."

"Well why do you have Jason lying for you then?"

"Because I don't want Joey to know, and I haven't told Jason about it either because I don't want him to tell Jen." Jack's eyes furrowed in confusion. It was too early in the day for this shit.

"O-kay. So why not let Jen know because the secrets Jason was keeping had her upset Pacey." Pacey frowned and nodded.

"I didn't tell Jason the truth because I knew he would tell Jen, you know him he can't keep anything from her . The reason I don't want Jen to know is that I would be asking her to keep yet another one of my secrets from Joey. After knowing about me being in Boston those weeks and knowing about the job in New York..." Pacey ran a hand through his hair, exhaling loudly. "I don't want to do that to Jen again." Jack nodded slowly.

"Okay then, well tell me. Maybe I can help" Pacey nodded.

"Okay, actually it's why I came around. I need to ask you a favour."

Dawson walked into Ballard and Firth Law Firm, a woman looked up from her glossy magazine and smiled at him.

"do you have an appointment?" She asked him, turning her gaze to the computer screen. Dawson cleared his throat and nodded.

"Yes, my name's Dawson Leery." He said. The woman nodded and clicked away noisily at the keyboard. She frowned before clicking away again and nodded to herself.

"Don's unavailable but I can have you see Melanie. If you could take a seat i'll be with you momentarily." Dawson nodded and took his seat in the waiting area. He sat, mind wandering to the couple of months before at his mother's wedding and his altercation with Pacey. The argument still caused his blood to boil, the things Pacey had said had caused this meeting to take place.

Pacey only had himself to blame.

Dawson leant over and picked up the local paper from a nearby table, he flipped through with disinterest until his eye caught a small write up in the food and entertainment section. Dawson's eyes narrowed as he read the article's headline.

_Ten's Countdown to Success._

Dawson rolled his eyes as they scanned the article, coming to rest on the photo accompanying it. The photo showed Pacey and another man he vaguely recognised from his mother's wedding, remembering he had been Jen's plus one. He read the caption below the photo.

_Pacey Witter; Owner/Head Chef and Jason Hall; Sous Chef._

Dawson's head snapped up to the sound of his name being called. He stood and tossed the paper back onto the table, sneering at it as though it had been the one to take everything from him.

"Melanie will see you now" The woman smiled to him and led him down a long corridor to stand before a door ajar. She pushed it open wider and ushered Dawson inside the large office. Melanie stood and crossed the room, offering her hand to Dawson.

"Hello Mr Leery. Melanie Shae-Thompson, please take a seat." She smiled warmly and gestured to the leather chair opposite the one she sat down in. Dawson smiled and took his seat, waiting for Melanie to speak.

"What can I do for you?" She asked, her blue eyes sparkling, dimples appearing in her cheeks as she offered a smile.

"I. I want my son back" He blurted out. "He's keeping him from me out of spite and I want him back." Dawson said hurriedly. Melanie's brows knit in concern.

"Um okay, how about you start with who has your son and why you don't have him." She began with a tentative voice.

"Well firstly, my ex-bestfriend has him and I don't have him because he always wants what I have, just because I wasn't there when Ben was born or even in the five years since doesn't mean he should take care of him, act like he's Ben's father." Dawson threw his arms up in exasperation. "He's really an idiot, a self-centred, self absorbed man. Completely heartless and conniving. You know what he did? Well, I will tell you. He stole my soul mate, my soul mate. Stole her and now, five years later he stole her again. The conniving bastard. " Melanie nodded, listening to his tirade, she finally let out a breath.

"You know, you have no legal grounds for your best friend stealing your girlfriend." Melanie told him.

_Who was this idiot?_

Dawson rolled his eyes at her. "_Ex_ best friend and I know that, i'm not an imbecile." He snapped. "He has my son" He said.

"Okay, okay so where is your son's mother?" She asked.

"She's dead." He spoke. Melanie nodded

"So, why didn't you then gain custody of Ben?" She asked him. Dawson's eyes widened.

"Because, have you not heard anything I have said? She and him were in cahoots, both of them. Out to get me, so she let him take care of Ben, incase anything ever happened. She didn't want me to " He explained. Melanie nodded, hoping Dawson would begin to make sense.

"So, they were out to get you. That's the reason she didn't want you to have custody of your son in the event something were to happen to her, is that right?"

"Yes, exactly. Well it may also have something to do with how I told her she was a bitch who was trying to ruin my life and I told her to have an abortion and when she didn't I said I wanted nothing to do with her and the baby."

_Oh, for fucks sake. Help!_

"Okay so, tell me about your son" Melanie said, trying to take another route.

"Um, well. His name is Ben."

"Uh huh, his last name." Dawson scratched his head and shrugged. "Birth date, do you know his birth date?" Dawson frowned.

"He's five. I know he's definitely five and. He's allergic to strawberries. I know that because I gave him strawberries and he became really sick and if it weren't for Pacey, he could have died. Pacey, the bastard probably set it all up so he was the hero in all of this." Melanie's head snapped up from the legal pad she was taking notes in.

_Holy heck, thank god!_

"Pacey Witter?" She asked him, now understanding some of what he was saying. Dawson nodded. " His son, Benjamin Witter who loves dinosaurs and Thomas the Tank Engine?" Dawson shrugged. " And you're, Dawson Leery who was Pacey's best friend in high school from Capeside. Your soul mate is Joey right?" Dawson nodded.

"Do I know you?" He asked. Melanie stood up and offered her hand.

_Oh god no, thank fuck you don't_

"No. I can not take this case as I am Pacey's lawyer and I know all the details surrounding the circumstances." Melanie walked Dawson "I can tell you that you do not have a case here."

"But I am his father" He said.

"Yes I understand that, you are biologically Ben's father, you also have been absent for all of his life and you have not provided any financial assistance to him. You have no case." Melanie followed him out into the waiting area and watched as he left, his shoulders slumped in defeat as he closed the door behind him.

"Emily, if he comes back. Call security." She said, turned on her heel and went back to her office.

It was late by the time Joey had finished cleaning the kitchen, the living room and packing away the washing after bathing Ben and reading him a bedtime story. Joey flopped down on their bed with exhaustion, in complete awe how Pacey had managed to do all of that while working long hours at the restaurant for five years on his own.

Pacey had not yet returned from the restaurant which was not unusual, since the paper had a write up in the food and entertainment two weeks before, Pacey and Ten had almost been run off their feet. Joey heard the sound of the front door being unlocked. She lifted her head up to spot Pacey leaning against the door jamb, smiling down at Joey.

"Hey"

"Hey"

Pacey moved into the room, taking off his chef jacket and removing the buttons before tossing the jacket into the dirty clothes hamper in the corner of the room. He leant over to put his buttons into a dish by his side of the bed and sat down.

"How the hell did you do this on your own Pace?" Joey sat up on her knees and moved behind Pacey, placing her hands on his shoulders. Pacey chuckled tiredly.

"Do what?" He bent down to remove his shoes and socks, yawning. Joey began to massage the muscles in his back.

"Look after Ben, housework. Work in the restaurant for hours." Pacey shrugged.

"No other choice Joey."

"Mmm. Well I am exhausted and Ben's in school most days" She laughed yawning as well. Pacey twisted his body around to cup Joey's face. He slowly pressed his lips against hers, moving to gently nudge her to lie on the bed.

"On a scale of one to ten, how exhausted would you say you were?" He murmured seductively, allowing his mouth to move from her mouth along her jaw to her ear. "mmm?"

Joey moaned at the contact. "About, oh. About a six. Maybe" She breathed. Pacey smiled against her neck and made his way back up to her mouth, his hands slipped beneath her shirt to caress her sides, Joey shivered in anticipation.

"Well then, maybe I can get you to ten." He drew her lip between his own and sucked lightly. "You know, might help you get a good nights sleep" Joey pulled at his undershirt, tugging it and pushing it up with impatience, Pacey chuckled as he helped her to remove it. Joey's hands travelled over the taut muscles in his back as they moved beneath his skin.

Pacey made quick work of removing Joey's shirt and sweats. He pulled on her hair band until he released her hair, leaving a trail of kisses from her mouth down her neck towards her breasts, smiling against her quivering body as her breath caught in her throat. Pacey chuckled when Joey forced him onto his back and deftly tore his pants from his body, chuckles which quickly turned to gasps as Joey made her way across his chest, licking and sucking his skin.

The world around them continued while they became lost in their own world where time stood still while they made love. Two souls connected in that moment of love and pleasure until their world dissipated, giving way so they could rejoin the rest of the world, exhausted and sated. Joey snuggled into Pacey's chest as he pulled the covers up over them. He sighed with contentment.

Pacey bent his head to kiss the top of Joey's head softly before giving way to his exhaustion and finding sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N Okay, so here we are, the third chapter. You might get a glimpse into Pacey's behaviour with this one. Please R&R, the more feedback I get the more likely I will update this sooner rather than later._

The Least Travelled Road

Chapter 3

Joey made her way into Ten after dropping Ben off from school, she looked around for Pacey, smiling as she heard his voice from the direction of his office. Joey made her way down, stopping short at the hushed sound of Pacey's voice.

"Today, yeah I can meet you today. I should be able to get away, at _The Purple Wren_, ok, twelve. hm. No, no she doesn't seem as though she does. Well just a little, I don't know off or something. No i don't think she suspects anything. Ok i'll see you then. Bye Charlie."

Joey stood, stuck to the floor in shock. The sound of Pacey getting up pushed Joey into a panic and she quickly took off and into the empty kitchen. She called out to Pacey, her voice wavered as she called.

"Hey Pace, i'm back"

Pacey made his way into the kitchen and kissed Joey quickly.

"How did it go?" He asked, Joey forced a smile and shrugged.

"Good, you know Ben. He and Stella tore off without so much as a goodbye." Pacey chuckled as he flipped through the weeks roster. Joey chewed on her lip.

"So, what's on the agenda today. You want to come have lunch with Jen and I?" She asked offhandedly. Pacey smiled and shook his head.

"Nope, not really." He smirked. "There's only so much a guy can handle listening to Jen's woes of the office and all the desperately single ladies there." Pacey grinned. "Besides, I am going to be busy around here." Joey nodded slowly.

"Oh, well okay. I'll let you get back to it then." Joey moved off and pushed through the door. Pacey's brow knit in confusion.

"Jo, you okay?" He called. Joey spun back around and nodded hastily.

"Um, yeah. Little tired is all, you kept waking me up during the night." Joey smirked, flapping her arms about "I think you might have been dreaming you could fly or something." She chuckled. Joey waved and quickly left the restaurant.

Pacey frowned, something was off with her. He sighed and went back to the rosters, and planning out the shifts for the following week.

Joey made her way into their apartment, unable to shake the uneasy feeling of dread which had firmly taken up residence in the pit of her stomach. She found herself pacing the kitchen in mild panic, trying to discern something, anything from the conversation she had overheard. It was probably nothing right? He was probably talking about someone else.

But why the secrecy lately, why did he seem distracted, why was he taking off at odd times during the day?

Charlie, where had she seen that name before?

Joey chewed on her lip trying to remember the significance of the name when she finally realised. Joey quickly made her way into the laundry and felt around next to the empty bottle of fabric softener she had neglected to throw out. The folded paper she had pulled from Pacey's shirt pocket weeks before was still there.

Walking back into the kitchen to get her phone, Joey dialled the number.

"Hello, Charlie speaking" A woman's voice sounded through from the other end. Joey quickly hung her phone up and tossed it onto the counter as though burned by it. She could feel her eyes beginning to burn with tears.

_Oh, god. Not Pacey._

Joey bit her lip to stop it from trembling, she shook her head, if she told herself 'no' enough times then maybe it wouldn't be true.

_Pacey doesn't cheat._

"No, no, no." Joey closed her eyes and slipped down the wall, pulling her knees up to her chest. This can't be happening, this can't be her whole world crumbling down around her. Pacey was loyal, he didn't do this. He just didn't.

Joey could feel herself giving into tears, she dropped her head in her hands and began to sob.

Pacey kept an eye on the clock, he needed to meet Charlie at the restaurant in a little over half an hour, while Jason would be okay to handle the first half of the lunch rush he didn't want to be gone too long, he wanted to get it over with so he could move on. Pacey's head snapped up to Jason's frantic body as it came rushing into his office.

"Hey, where's the fire?"

"Huh?"

"You okay man?" Jason's face was pale and he looked as though he may throw up. "Jason?"

"Um. Um. Here" Jason handed over a small box with shaky hands. Pacey flipped the lid, he let out a whistle at the sight. "What do you think?"

Pacey looked to Jason and smirked. "Um, while i'm flattered Jason, I just. I mean I didn't think we had _that_ kind of friendship is all." Pacey gave Jason an arrogant grin. Jason rolled his eyes and the colour began to seep it's way back into his face.

"Pace, just. Fuck you Pacey." He said as he snatched the box back. Pacey chuckled and held his hands up.

"I'm sorry man. I'm sorry." He laughed. "I'll be serious" Jason gave his friend a wary look. "I promise." Pacey added. Jason sighed and slumped down in a chair, he looked up to Pacey.

"Do you think it's too soon?" He asked him. Pacey took a breath and clasped his hands behind his head as he leant back to consider the question. He chewed the inside of his cheek as he threw the question back by way of his answer.

"Do _you_ think it is?" Jason frowned.

"I didn't when I bought the ring. I guess no, I don't but i'm just a little nervous; if she'll say yes." Pacey slowly stood up and moved to sit down on the desk.

"Well, you won't know if you don't ask her." He smiled.

"Well what about you, are you nervous?" Pacey's eyebrows knit in confusion.

"What, weather Jen says yes to your marriage proposal?" Jason rolled his eyes.

"No. When you ask Joey." Pacey coughed in surprise.

"What? What makes you think I'm ready to do that?" Jason shrugged.

"I don't know, I just thought. I mean you two have been in love with each other for maybe... Well forever. I guess I figured you'd be the first." Pacey smiled nodding, it did seem like a logical next step for them, and he'd be lying if he hadn't been thinking about it lately. The truth was that he had a lot on his mind, things he wanted to work out before he entertained those sort of ideas.

"Just. Ask her Jason." Pacey stood and started to make his way out. "I'll catch you in a bit, I have to run an errand." He said, Jason nodded absently as he stared down at the ring box.

Pacey had not been sitting for long when he looked up to find Charlies' familiar frame walking towards him, her hips swaying as she wove herself through the chairs and tables on her way to him. Pacey stood, and kissed her chastely on the cheek, she sat down and smiled.

"How's Joey?" She asked, Pacey frowned.

"She seemed a little off actually, I think she is beginning to suspect something." He said. Charlie sighed and nodded. "I actually think she might suspect i'm having an affair." Charlie laughed and shook her head.

"With me? Not sure what my husband would say about that." Pacey chuckled. "Anyway I just have a few things to run by you is all" Pacey nodded.

"Okay."

Joey stood at the window watching as Pacey chatted happily with a beautiful blonde woman in _The Purple Wren_. She could feel as new tears clung to her already puffy eyes, Joey sniffled. She didn't want to believe it. But here he was with another woman, Joey could see it with her own eyes.

_Pacey was cheating on her._

She watched as they both stood and Pacey leant in to kiss her, Joey turned around before she could see it, before she could see his lips on that woman's.

Pacey kissed Charlie on the cheek.

"I'll catch you later" He said as he began to walk off.

"Pacey, you're going to have to find a place to stay." Pacey nodded as he left the restaurant, wanting to get back to the restaurant for the remaining lunch rush.

Joey stormed through their apartment, her eyes blurry with tears. She dropped to her knees and pulled out her suitcase from under her bed and opened it, laying it on the bed in wait. She rummaged through her drawers, pulling out articles of clothing and dumping them into her bag angrily.

_Pacey doesn't cheat._

Joey moved to the bathroom to collect her toothbrush and other toiletries. She stomped her way back to the bedroom and tossed the items into her suitcase as well. Joey pulled her phone from her jacket pocket and dialled the cab company. She wiped her eyes and sniffled loudly.

_Fucking Jerk!_

Joey quickly zipped her suitcase up and left the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Joey made her way down the stairs to the sidewalk to the waiting cab. Once she had settled into the backseat she leant forward to give the address to Voxx where Jen worked. A nod of the driver's head and he pulled them out into the busy Friday traffic. Sitting in the back of the cab, Joey tried desperately to get her emotions under control, it wasn't working however. The further they travelled away from the restaurant the more overwhelmed Joey felt.

They were happy weren't they?

She thought they had been, Pacey obviously wasn't or he wouldn't have found comfort in another woman's arms.

"Here we go Lady" Came the driver's raspy voice from the the driver's seat, Joey offered a weak smile along with the cab fare. He jumped out to pull her bag from the trunk, and frowned at her face. Joey took the bag from him, meekly uttering her thanks and turned to enter the building.

Joey made her way down the carpeted hallway, her eyes to the floor in an attempt to hide her face from questionable eyes. Joey stood before Jen's door and rapped abruptly on the wood.

"Come in" Came Jen's voice. Joey threw the door open and slammed it behind her.

Jen's head snapped up, her face falling at her friends state, she jumped up and pulled her into a hug as Joey let loose her tears and sobbed into Jen's shoulder, clutching at her shirt in despair as her sobs wracked through her body.

"Jo, what's wrong?" Jen asked in a soft, soothing voice as she rubbed her friends back. Joey sniffled and began to hiccup. She pulled away to look at Jen, her eyes red and bloodshot. Jen reached over her desk for a tissue and held her hand out offering Joey a seat. Joey slid into the chair with a heavy sigh.

"He's, he's cheating on me Jen" Joey said as she blew her nose. Jen shook her head.

"What?!" Joey nodded her head, wiping her nose again. "Are. I mean are you sure?" Jen sat down in the chair next to Joey.

"I saw him Jen, he was at _The Purple Wren_ with _her_. They were laughing and, and he kissed her."

"He did what, are you sure?"

"Well I ran off before he actually did, but he was leaning in to though."

Jen shook her head slowly, no. This couldn't be, Pacey didn't cheat. Pacey was the biggest flirt in all of Massachusetts but he did not cheat.

"There's got to be another explanation Joey." She said. Joey shook her head.

"Like what Jen? What could be an explanation for Pacey to meet with a beautiful, sexy blonde. If he's not cheating on me he would tell me Jen." Joey spoke with bitterness. "What am I going to do Jen, I just. I just can't...I don't know what to do." Joey's eyes looked to Jen, pleading for an answer

The lunch rush was brutal, Pacey, Jason and the rest of the staff were run off their feet. Pacey and Jason finally were able to take a break as the lunch crowd died down. Pacey quickly checked his watch, jumping up when he realised he had to pick Ben up from school. Pacey stood up, Jason looked at him.

"Picking Ben up?" He asked, Pacey nodded and made his way out to his car.

Jason leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes briefly. The sound of his phone ringing jolted him up in his chair, Jason smiled as Jen's name flashed on the screen.

"Hey beautiful" He answered it.

"Where's Pacey?" Jen asked harshly.

"Huh, he's gone to collect Ben from school."

"Well, well tell that jerk to answer his phone.." She grumbled. Jason scratched at his head in confusion, what the hell was going on?

"Jen, what's going on?" He asked her. Jen let out a breath and clucked her tongue in thought of how to tell him.

"Joey's gone, I leant her my car. She's gone to Capeside for the weekend. Sh-she says that Pacey's cheating on her. She saw him and another woman at _The Purple Wren_ today" Jen stuttered.

"What?!"

"Pacey doesn't cheat Jason. Why is he cheating?" Jason was at a loss. Was it true, was Pacey being unfaithful to Joey?

He had accused his friend of it, with the lies he'd been telling for him, but Pacey had denied it and while Pacey really didn't seem like the type.

Maybe he was.

Pacey was sincere when he told him he wasn't cheating, he had actually appeared disgusted at the idea anyone would think that he was. But if he was capable of being unfaithful and secretive, didn't it also then stand to reason he was capable of lying too?

"I don't know Jen, i'll talk to him."

"Okay Jason, you. You do that. I'll be finished here soon so i'll be there in a bit."

"Okay, bye Jen. I love you."

"Love you too. Oh Jason?"

"Yeah?"

"Make Pacey fix this. Or, or i'll kick his ass."

Jason slumped in his chair and rubbed his chin and sighed.

The sound of Ben's voice sounded through the dining room as he tore through the place with excitement. A large painting clutched in his hand, fluttering as he ran to Jason.

"Hey Jason, look what I did. I painted this for Joey!" Jason tried to swallow the lump in his throat to smile at the boy.

"That's great little man" He smiled weakly at Ben.

"Daddy, can we give it to Joey now? Can we?" Pacey chuckled at his son, shaking his head at the energy he was giving off in his excitement.

"Uh. Ben how about you go see if Ron can get you a drink first, I need to talk to your Dad." Jason stood up, not quite looking at Pacey's eyes which showed confusion. Jason gestured toward Pacey's office, he shrugged and followed Jason through the kitchen and down the hall to his office.

Jason slowly shut the door behind them and leant his head against it briefly before turning to Pacey, anger beginning to rise up through his body.

"What the fuck are you doing Pacey?"

"What?" He asked, startled by the anger which had crossed Jason's face. "What are you talking about?"

"You're cheating on Joey!" He yelled.

"Excuse me?" Pacey said, hadn't he already had this conversation with Jason before. "For the last time Jason, I am not cheating on Joey. There is no one else, there is Joey and only Joey." He spat, his own anger seeping into his body.

Jason shook his head and continued on "She saw you today, with another woman at _The Purple Wren_. Is that where you were, doing errands or doing another woman?" Jason took a breath as Pacey's face fell. "She's left, you know. Jen rang me. She's gone to Capeside."

"Ah fuck!" Pacey threw himself down into his chair.

"So it's true?" Pacey's head snapped up.

"No Jason, it's not true. I don't cheat."

"So everyone keeps saying. Well what's going on then?"

Pacey sighed and stood up, clearly nothing had worked out for him so far, the only thing he had left was the truth. He hoped it was enough to fix all of this.

Grams had happily taken Ben to the park at Jen's request, Ben was ecstatic at spending the afternoon with Grams and had skipped off happily with her in tow. Pacey, Jen and Jason stood on the sidewalk watching as Ben and Grams walked down toward the park. Pacey stood with his ear to his phone, Joey wasn't answering.

"You know Pacey, this would have never happened if you had just told the truth."

"Well excuse me for wanting to surprise my girlfriend with something." Pacey snapping as he decided to instead call the B&B.

"Well, it didn't work did it." She deadpanned.

"Not so much, no" He sighed. "Hey Bessie."

"You've got a nerve ringing Pacey, how could you, how could you ch-"

"I am not cheating on Joey." He said to her, rubbing his hand over his face.

"She said you kissed her"

"I did no such thing Bessie." He said angrily "Hang on, yes. I kissed her on the cheek."

"Oh, well."

"I kiss you on the cheek Bessie and i'm not fucking _you_ am I?" Pacey snapped angrily. "Can you put her on the phone?"

"She doesn't want to talk to you."

_Damnit!_

"Fine then" Pacey angrily hung the phone up. He looked to Jen and Jason and pointed his finger at them. "Don't, just don't say it. I know. I completely screwed this up. Fuck"

Pacey began to pace at the entrance of Ten, his arms flapping wildly in the air.

"What do I do, christ. Do I -" Pacey's phone interrupted him "Yeah" He answered roughly.

"P-Pacey?" The sound of her strained voice sounded through the phone clearly.

"Gail?"

"I'm sorry to call you, but. But the other day Dawson said something about seeing a lawyer." She laughed dryly, Pacey's face fell. "He made up some lie but I think you and I both know why he went to see one."

"Ben" Pacey spoke, his heart twisting in pain within his chest.

"Yes, I think so. All I know is that he was going to see one in Boston." Gail sighed. "Is it possible for us to meet up somewhere?" She asked. Pacey looked up to Jen and Jason's questioning faces.

"Um, I might be able to get to Capeside this afternoon." Jen and Jason nodded furiously. "Um, okay, yeah. I'll give you a call when I can."

"Okay, thank you Pacey."

Pacey nodded numbly and hung his phone up. He closed his eyes, his head dropped back with his face toward the heavens.

_Fuck!_

"What's going on, what's happening?" Jen asked, hugging herself in worry. Pacey looked to Jen.

"Murphy's fucking Law, that's what."

Joey had thrown herself on the bed and cried for hours after telling Bessie everything, all she wanted to do now was to hide from the world as it began to tumble around her. Her whole world was falling apart and there was nothing she could do.

Her whole world was cheating on her.

Joey called out once more for Bessie to leave her alone and she didn't want to hear it. She had said through the closed door that Pacey had called and that Joey really needed to call him and talk to him and there's no way he was being unfaithful to her.

"Joey, he is madly in love with with you. He would never hurt you like this."

"He's claimed that before Bessie, hasn't stopped him from breaking my heart in the past now has it?."

"Joey-"

"Leave me alone." She snapped, burying her head in the pillow. Bessie sighed and made her way back into the kitchen for yet another cup of coffee, with Bodie at the restaurant and Alex staying at a friends place Bessie had no choice but to sit in silence.

The house was quiet, with no guests booked until the following morning, the only sounds were that of the occasional sigh which slipped from Bessie's lips and the muffled sobs from her sister down the hall.

Bessie's head jerked up as the front door was abruptly shut.

"Pacey!"

"Where is she, in her usual room?" Bessie nodded dumbly.

"Right then." Pacey marched his way down the hall and threw the door open in anger. "What the fuck are you doing?" He seethed. Joey sat up in surprise and angrily got to her feet.

" I know contrary to the consensus of most people, you are not an idiot so I think you know exactly what the fuck i am doing." Joey spat. Pacey shook his head fiercely.

"All I know is that you think I am cheating on you, which couldn't be further from the truth Joey."

"I saw you with her i saw y-"

"And what Joey, what did you see. I mean really?"

"I-i"

"You saw me, meet with a woman over lunch. I kissed her on the cheek which I always do. I kiss Jen, Bessie." Pacey raised his eyebrows, waiting for her response. "This is fucking ridiculous" He said as he grabbed Joey's hand and pulled her towards the door, dragging her out into the kitchen. He roughly pulled the chair away from the table opposite Bessie.

"Pacey, what the?" Pacey firmly pushed Joey into the seat.

"Just. Sit. and wait here." Pacey spun and left through the front door, leaving two sets of surprised faces behind.

Pacey shook his head angrily as he made his way to the car, he tore the car door open and searched for something under his seat. Pacey then made his way back inside and slammed down a rolled up document in front of Joey. She looked up at him and opened her mouth to speak, Pacey cut her off before she could.

"I know you are angry over what you _think_ you know to be true." He began. "But me? Well I am pissed off beyond all fucking belief, I am utterly angry and gutted of what I _know_ to be true." Pacey breathed heavily, desperately trying to still the fury inside of him.

"And what's that?" She sneered at him.

"You don't trust me."

Joey's face fell at his claim, she dropped her eyes to the table, burning with tears. She pointed to the document.

"What's this?"

"This?" Pacey laughed humorlessly. "This is an explanation. This." He pointed to it as Joey looked up, her eyes locking with his. She could see the anger and above all else the hurt in his blue eyes. "Is one way I can at least get half of my family back together." He said this with a softer edge to his voice, filled more with anguish and sorrow than anything else.

"Half?" Joey asked. Pacey nodded.

"Gail wants me to meet her." He said as he walked to the door. "Dawson's been talking to a lawyer."

"What? Pacey?"

"Look, i'll be back in a while. I'll be back after I talk to Gail and. And when I stop being so angry."

Pacey left swiftly, shutting the door behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N Here we go, hope you like this chapter, not sure about truly clarifying anything for you here but...It may be a little while before I update this. Could be writers block. Or it could be just to make you all wait while i get a couple of chapters complete. Who knows. Bwah ha ha! Okay, I've said it before but I really love the feedback, where some have guessed things right and others not so much. Or have you?_

The Least Travelled Road

Chapter 4

Pacey leant over the wooden rails of the docks across from Leery's Fresh Fish, his eyebrows arched at the sound of soft footsteps but he didn't turn around. The familiar scent of Gail's perfume pushed him back in time momentarily, a time where he and Dawson would spend their days riding their bikes to the rock pools on the edge of town or to the jetty by the carnival when it was in town.

Pacey used to protest when Dawson would want to drag Joey with them, but by the age of ten or so they were used to each others company and often Pacey found Joey's company far better than Dawson's.

He and Joey were alike in many respects.

_The scrappy underdogs_

Or so Gretchen had told him once, she was right. They were made for each other.

Now, tonight as Pacey stood on the dock so many years later, the smell of Gail's perfume while normally brought with it a sense of happy nostalgia now only brought dread and foreboding to his life.

"Evening Gail" Pacey smiled, looking out to the water.

"Hi Honey." Gail mimicked his stance and stared out across the same body of water as Pacey. He heard Gail take a deep breath, he eyed her with interest, wondering how this conversation was going to go and how much she hated him from keeping her grandson from her. His stomach coiled up tightly inside of him.

"I heard your argument with Dawson, the day of my wedding." She stated, looking to Pacey, he nodded as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. "Dawson, hasn't said anything to me, he hasn't mentioned anything about Ben at all."

"Look Gail, i'm sorry about keeping this from you, I know you have a right, that you are possibly angry and maybe you have a -"

"I saw that little boy and the way you were with him before I knew the truth. I thought wow, how grownup you have become Pacey, how wonderful of a father you were to that sweet little boy." She smiled at Pacey. "I also watched you too after I found out, how much you love him, and he loves you too. So much. I was angry, intensely so but my opinion never changed about you Pacey." Gail frowned.

"Why were you angry?" He asked her hesitantly. "I mean if what you thought of me didn't change." Gail sighed and turned so her hip rested upon the railing of the dock.

"I was was angry because, my opinion of my son did." Gail wiped her eyes to look into the young man's face, this man who she had watched grow over the years, very much like another son to her. She had spent time with him, had doted on him and given advice when his own mother had failed to do so. Now all grown up with a son of his own she couldn't be any prouder of him.

"I'm sorry Gail" He murmured, Gail nodded her head.

"Me too, but Pacey I am so proud of you. You have grown into the man I always knew you would be. I'm not surprised by how you've turned out."

"Yeah?" She nodded. "Well, that's nice because i'll tell you. It's sure surprised the shit outta me." He smiled glibly. Gail chuckled lightly and slapped Pacey on the arm.

"So, what now?" She asked him.

"The lawyer?" Gail nodded, Pacey shrugged.

"Pacey, you and I both know Dawson's not ready to be a father. If ever. I hate to say this about my own son but, I just think he is better to let this one go, you're Ben's father. He's not. By the sound of it he made that choice years ago." Pacey nodded. "Do you think you could tell me, about it?"

"Well, what do you want to know?"

"Everything"

Pacey took a breath and began with the story, how Audrey had been unfaithful, his argument with Dawson when he inadvertently told him about the baby. He told her how he and Audrey had moved in together not long after he moved to New York City, how he attended all of her appointments, lamaze classes and shopping journeys. Tears formed in his eyes as he told her how he had promised to care for Ben if anything happened to her and of how he had pestered Audrey into telling Dawson. He told her everything, the birth of Ben and the death of Audrey, late nights at Danny's, funeral arrangements and early morning feedings with a new born.

He explained why he had said Dawson hast nearly killed Ben and what Ben thought of Dawson. He told her all about her grandson and his life now.

He didn't have biology with him but Ben did have two parents who loved him more than life itself.

"I'm just sad that I have missed out on so much with him." Gail said regrettably. Pacey nodded and turned to her.

"I have a video tape, with Ben. When he's a baby, his first steps." Pacey raised his eyebrows at her. "I could have a copy made up for you, I mean if you'd like." Gail's eyes lit up at Pacey's offer.

"Oh Pacey, that would be wonderful. It really would be." Pacey nodded and turned his attention back to the water. Gail did the same and they stood in comfortable silence, both looking out with renewed hope.

Jen groaned as she sat on the couch in Pacey's living room wearing a blindfold from Ben's birthday pinata from months earlier Jason had found. She shifted impatiently in her seat, after bathing Ben and going through his usual bedtime routine in which Joey had quickly implemented, Jason had waltzed in with dinner and a blindfold.

Now she sat with instructions to stay put and to not peek.

"Jason, what are you doing?" She frowned, pouting with indignation. Jason rolled his eyes as he carefully set the table, placing plates, cutlery and wine glasses down. He placed candles in their holders. He stepped back to meticulously look over his masterpiece that was, a romantic dinner for two. He quickly made his way into the kitchen to collect dinner he had brought back from work. Chuckling at Jen's moans of protest as she sat waiting.

"Okay" He said at he surveyed the table once more, speaking mostly to himself, "Okay." He leaned over to light the candles and flip the lights off. The room descended into darkness, the light from the candles cast the only light save for the hall light, illuminating the table in a halo of warmth.

Jason moved over to the couch where Jen's patience was beginning to fade and took her hands gently. He carefully pulled her to her feet and slowly led her to the table to sit down. Once seated he removed her blindfold and sat in the chair opposite her.

Jason watched as Jen's eyes widened in surprise and a smile tugged at her lips.

"Its, beautiful Jason." She looked to him tears glistening in her eyes. Jason could feel the ring box digging into his leg from it's hiding spot within his pocket. He shifted in his chair nervously as he gestured to their dinner.

"Eat, before it gets cold" He smiled, Jen nodded and they began to eat. They ate in comfortable silence until Jen finally spoke.

"How do you think it's going with Joey and Pacey?" She asked him. Jason shrugged.

"I think it will be okay, I don't think this will break them up. Not once she knows the truth." Jen nodded and took another bite. "I feel terrible though" Jason added. Jen tilted her head at his remark.

"Whys that?" She asked him. Jason sighed and set his knife and fork down, placing them neatly in the middle of his plate and pushing it away from him.

"I thought he was being unfaithful" Jen nodded in understanding.

"Well, it appeared that way didn't it?"

"You didn't believe it though" Jen shrugged and shook her head.

"No, only because I know Pacey, i've known him for quite a long time, he and Joey have been through so much and he loves her so much I know he would never do something to willingly jeopardize it."

Their conversation moved away from the topic of Joey and Pacey, it did touch lightly on Ben and the call from Gail Leery but the mostly avoided that topic as well. Jason jumped up to clear their plates much to Jen's protest wanting to help. Jason scraped the plates in the trash and rinsed them, nervously buying himself time before sitting down to ask the question which would begin writing the rest of their lives together.

When he had stalled for long enough Jason sat down, took a large drink of courage from his wine glass and took a breath.

"Jen?" Jen reached for her glass and took a sip.

"I love you." He began. Aware of the nervous waver to his voice but unable to change it. Jen smiled and opened her mouth to reply when Jason continued. "And while I know you and I have been together for only six months at the most. I don't need anymore time than that to know. T-to know that I love you and want to spent the rest of my life loving you." Jen swallowed nervously, she smiled from over the table at him while he moved his hand from out of hers and withdrew the box from his pocket. Slowly he brought it forward and opened the lid to reveal a simple solitaire diamond set into a white gold band.

Jen took a sharp intake of a breath, not daring to speak.

"Jen, will you spend the rest of our lives loving me, will you marry me?"

Jen's hand came to cover her mouth in surprise. The tension thickened the air around them as Jason waited with apprehension for her answer knowing anything other than yes would devastate him.

"I-I love you Jason, I do." She began, Jason's heart dropped within his chest in knowing what she was trying to say.

"But, you think it's too soon, too, too fast." His words formed a statement rather than a question, Jen smiled weakly and took a breath while nodding.

"Yes I think it's too fast." Jason nodded glumly, letting out a shaky breth."But" She said, smiling as Jason looked to her in suspicion. "I don't care. I want us to love each other for the rest of our live, together." Jen's face broke into a grin. "Yes, Jason. I will marry you." Jason let out a gasp of relief as he chuckled lightly. He drew the ring from it's home in the box to place it on it's last home on Jen's finger.

"You had me worried there Jen, for a bit." Jen chuckled as Jason pulled her face in to kiss her softly. She pulled away and lifted her glass, waiting for Jason to do the same.

"Here's to the rest of our life." She smiled.

"Together." Jason added as the clinking of crystal against crystal sung it's song through the quiet apartment.

Joey was sitting at the kitchen table as Bodie walked in from work, after witnessing the hysterics of earlier that day when Joey had turned up out of the blue. She now sat, quietly lost in her own reverie, oblivious to her surroundings until the gentle kiss on her head brought her back to the here and now.

Bodie looked down to the paper unfurled on the table before her. He lifted a brow as Joey broke the silence.

"I graduated from Worthington, a prestigious Ivy league college at the top of my class." Bodie nodded, smiling. "And yet." She continued "I am a complete and utter idiot." She frowned, Bodie looked back down to the table.

"Yes. You certainly are, looks like you owe that young man an apology." Joey sighed and nodded as Bodie left to retire to his room for the night.

Joey sat for a long moment, the hour was late and Pacey had not returned from seeing Gail. Joey stood up and rolled the papers up, heading to her own room. Joey dressed and slipped beneath the covers, hoping Pacey would return that night but knowing the possibility he wouldn't existed.

How could she be so stupid, to jump to conclusions like she did.

After all of this it appeared out of character for her to think the worst of Pacey, he had never given her reason to ever mistrust him. He had broken her heart countless times and those times were due to his misguided notion he was doing it for her in a way.

Maybe that's what it all boiled down to, Joey had been broken before by this man and she was scared it would all happen again. Things were different and if they were going to remain that way, she had to admit that she was still holding on to the past, clutching at those things while gave her immense pain now, didn't matter because they were here, now.

And now was the best and the most happy she had ever been. She had too stop searching for the shoe.

Joey snuggled into her bed allowing the tension and worry which had plagued her for longer than she realised start to unwind itself from her insides, and begin to let go in preparation to eventually leave her.

Joey fell asleep, hoping Pacey could forgive her for the way she had jumped to conclusions, wanting him to let go of his anger which she knew he had every right to feel after everything.

Would saying she was sorry be enough?

Pacey drove through the familiar streets wearily, tired and emotionally spent as he continued on, with only his thoughts for company. He wondered what was going to happen now, while he was certainly thankful Gail was on his side with regards to Ben and he had over the past months spoken to Melanie about his situation with Ben, she had also helped him to understand that if he ever would find himself in the situation he currently found himself in he would be okay. He and Ben would be okay.

While he knew this it still gave him pause, a tentative predicament only exacerbated by Joey leaving. His thoughts wandered to her and how everything that day had eventuated to him now driving the streets alone and thoughtful, scared of a life without her.

Pacey sighed as he parked his truck and got out, locking the doors behind him as he walked.

He knew his argument with Joey couldn't be left up in the air, it was not healthy to do so. As Pacey made his way around the front of his restaurant he also knew he couldn't talk to her tonight, as he had said to her when he left, he would when he wasn't so angry. Now, hours after leaving her there he was still angry and he didn't want to risk the important conversation they needed to get past this. Stepping back would help, a new day would bring with it renewed energy. He was tired and not up for such a heavy conversation with her.

Pacey ascended the stairs to his apartment and walked in, illuminated only by the hall lights Pacey made his way into the kitchen. The sound of giggling made its way to his ears, he smirked knowingly.

"You two are not having sex on my couch are you?" Pacey chuckled as he made out two shapes jumping up in surprise. Pacey flicked the kitchen light on and made for the beer in his fridge.

"Afraid we'll violate your couches innocence Pacey?" Jen grinned as she entered the kitchen with Jason behind her. Pacey offered her an arrogant grin.

"Too late for that Jen" Pacey chuckled as Jen wrinkled her nose up in disgust.

"Is there any place you and Joey haven't..."

"If I answered that, you wouldn't want to sit anywhere." Jen rolled her eyes and then sat on the kitchen table smugly. Pacey smiled behind his beer bottle.

"Think again Lindley." Jen jumped of the table and frowned.

"Looks like a can't go anywhere then, except the washing machine" Jen groaned as Jason shook his head with a smirk.

"I almost caught _that_ act." Jen frowned and threw her hands in the air.

"I give up" Pacey chuckled as they sat around the kitchen table. Jen ran a hand through her hair, her diamond ring glinted beneath the light. Pacey sat his beer down smiling at her and Jason. "What?" She asked him. Pacey quirked his brow at her.

"What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?" He asked. Jen's eyebrows furrowed before her face broke into a giddy smile. "Congratulations." He smiled.

"Thanks Pace."

Pacey hugged the small blonde and shook hands with Jason, commenting how he was surprised Jason had managed to go through it all without having to throw up in the bathroom midway. Jason laughed, he too was surprised as well. Jen told Pacey about the proposal and the romantic dinner he had arranged, also about how she had to sit blindfolded for hours on the couch to which Jason rolled his eyes and said it had only been twenty minutes.

Jen turned to Pacey with a serious face and asked the question.

"What happened in Capeside?" Pacey sighed, he knew this was not going to be easily avoided and so instead of protesting he began with the meeting with Gail, Jen nodded while listening intently to her friend, knowing Gail's pride in Pacey was shared by most people who knew him.

Pacey then took a shaky breath and told her about his argument with Joey, how he had left her with the truth but did not go back later.

"But everything is going to be okay though, right?" Jason asked him, his forehead creased with worry. Pacey slowly nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah I think so. I mean I am still angry." He said, taking a sip from his beer. Jason shook his head, Pacey continued on to explain. "While I do understand that while what I was doing lately and what Joey saw could easily be misinterpreted and I know how it must have looked. I even joked with Charlie about her thinking I might be cheating on her. I just didn't actually believe it." Pacey let go of a heavy sigh. "The one person, even after all these years who knows me the most doesn't trust me and I am livid over that. Everything I thought we had, I thought we had trust, but clearly it didn't go both ways." Pacey shrugged. "I do understand I went about it the wrong way and I know we can get past everything. Just, not tonight."

Both Jen and Jason nodded with understanding, Jen saying she understood and hoped everything would work out between them soon, Pacey nodded.

He just needed tonight, tonight to allow the anger inside of himself to die down.

He left a message on Joey's voicemail to explain why he had not returned and said he would talk to her in the morning. Jen and Jason retired to the guest room and Pacey slowly made his way to his and Joey's room, ducking in to check up on Ben, placing the boys pillow back under his head and covering him up.

Pacey slipped beneath the covers, frowned at the empty space beside him, Joey's scent invaded his senses as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

Joey called Pacey's phone early the next morning after listening to his message he had left for her. She waited impatiently for him to answer knowing that while Pacey rose early it was possibly early even by his standards.

"Hey Jo" He spoke through the phone, his voice groggy from sleep.

"Hey Pace." She smiled. Her face fell as she frowned, taking a breath "I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I don't know what happened. I think it was some form of ..."

"Emotional retardation?" Pacey supplied with a smirk, the anger from the night before no longer present. Joey laughed and certainly agreed with him. There didn't seem to be another logical explanation.

"I'm leaving in a few hours Pace. I'm coming home so we can talk this through. Together because our vow of complete honesty." She let the words hang. Pacey chuckled.

"Never really had much follow through yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Okay then Jo, I will pack up and by the time you get back we'll be at Jacks." Joey nodded.

"That's why you needed to see Jack that morning?"

"Yep" He said as he sat up in bed.

"His place is rather small though" Pacey shrugged.

"Yeah but he has a guestroom at least, just we'll have to share. With Ben" Joey rolled her eyes.

"Oh, great. Now i'll have to put up with two Witter boys flapping about thinking they're flying." She smiled. Pacey chuckled and grinned into the phone.

"Well, I have said it before; the family that lays together, stays together." Joey laughed and shook her head at the typical Pacey remark. " I will say something though Jo. With you not here the chores have slipped a little." He smiled, Joey arched a brow. "But that's alright though because when you get back..." His voice dropped to a sexy growl "We can catch up on the laundry"

Joey let out a snort in surprise.

"Pervert!" She grinned, Pacey laughed imagining the embarrassment creeping into her face at that moment. "Well go on, say it" She said, knowing his reply. Pacey only smiled, his voice still a low timbre which raced through Joey's body, causing tingling throughout.

"You Josephine, are definitely no prude."

The sound of Joey's laughter was music to Pacey's ears, they spoke for a while discussing Pacey's meeting with Gail and how he had promised the video of Ben and his life up until now. They eventually said their goodbyes and hung up, Pacey with a grin on his face as he rose to start a new day. There was to be a conversation but he knew they could handle it, they were stronger now. With this realisation Pacey felt lighter, knowing the insecurities which ate at him in the past were not present now. He could easily deal with what ever came next.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N - okay people this should answer some questions... perhaps not all of them but that will also be revealed too soon-ish please R&R_

The Least Travelled Road

Chapter 5

Joey pulled Jen's car up behind Jason's out the front of Jack's small brownstone place. She took a deep breath and made her way up the path, before having the opportunity to knock it was thrown open and Jen stood in the doorway, grinning. A nervous chuckle left Joey's lips at the sight of an unusually mirthful Jen Lindley, Joey had certainly seen her friend happy before but not like this, not without the undertone of cynicism she usually sported.

She found it quite disconcerting.

"Hello, hello" Jen grinned, hugging Joey on the porch and tugging on her hand inside. "Come in, come in" She sing-songed with glee. Joey entered with apprehension. Jen's usual, yet endearing stuttering of syllables had appeared to have now developed into stuttering and repeating of full words.

"What's going on, why are you so happy?" Joey asked her warily. Jen's mouth dropped in disbelief.

"I'm not allowed to be happy?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "Well Joey I am, why wouldn't I be? It's a lovely fall day, i'm surrounded by all the people I love, you're back from gallivanting around between Boston and Capeside and-"

"I was not _gallivanting_ around Jen." Jen snorted her protest.

"Okay fine. You were running from here to Capeside, taking off '_half-cocked_" " Jen said smugly. "And, I can say that, because I am your best friend. I am your happily engaged-to-be-married-best friend." Joey's mouth dropped in complete surprise.

"What! Well when did this happen?"

"About the time you were in Capeside having your 'freakout' " She beamed. Joey shook her head in disbelief, pulling Jen into her arms in excitement.

"Oh my god, congratulations! What, what is happening to us all?" She smiled, Jen chuckled.

"I think it's called growing up."

Joey nodded, yes it was.

Pacey and Jason sighed in relief as they shut the door to Pacey's apartment firmly behind. Grinning at each other as they moved down the staircase out onto the street to where Pacey's truck was parked. They slipped into their seats, exhaling in unison, Pacey started the car up and pulled out toward Jack's. Pacey thankful he'd had the forethought a month ago to hire another senior chef who could easily slip into head chef if needed. While he wasn't like either Jason or himself. He instead, took on the stereotype of the nasty, arrogant chef but was good at what he did.

While Greg was arrogant and short tempered at times, he was however nothing but pleasant with Pacey, which he was not sure of the reason for it, liking to think it was more about Greg's level of respect for Pacey and not the fact that Pacey was the one to sign the chef's pay checks.

He doubted it though.

Now Pacey and Jason were headed back, with the night off for them both. Pacey couldn't help but feel apprehension as they made their way into Jack's house, voices sounded through from the kitchen and they made their way in that direction. By now it was late afternoon and Jack, Joey and Jen sat out in the back courtyard just beyond the kitchen. Ben played with his dinosaurs on a small area of grass with Doug. Jason moved out to them and sunk into a chair beside Jen, Joey began to congratulate him and threaten violence if he hurt her friend in anyway. Pacey leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed across his chest.

"Be careful Hall, she's got a mean right hook" He smiled. Joey slowly turned around to spot Pacey, giving him a lopsided smile as she stood up. She made her way to stand in front of him, her hands slid into the back pockets of her jeans.

"So..." She started, unsure. Pacey jerked his head behind them and suggested they take a walk. Joey nodded and followed him out.

They walked down the side walk where leaves had begun to drop their leaves in protest of the cooler weather. While still a couple of months until winter was upon them the air brought with it the briskness of forthcoming winter.

"It will only be for a few months Jo." He said, inclining his head behind them, Joey nodded and smiled. "Hopefully by Christmas." Pacey walked with his hands in his pockets as they ambled their way down the block. Joey shrugged.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" She asked him. Pacey frowned and dropped his head.

"I don't know. I wanted to make sure I had it all worked out, before I said anything." Joey nodded, and while Pacey had finally told her the truth, it was also a truth in part.

"I see, so Charlie is..."

"Pacey nodded "She's an architect, i've been working with her and going over the extensions for the restaurant, that's why all of the meetings. She's also happily married with three children" He smirked. Joey offered a sheepish smile.

"Okay, I don't really understand the need to move out of the apartment though. " She said. Pacey bit down on his lip.

"There's going to be a lot going on around the building, I don't want Ben around the heavy machinery, it'll be too dangerous for him."

"Oh, I guess you're right, makes sense." Pacey nodded, allowing a small breath of relief. While he was concerned with the safety of his son, it was not the entire truth to it all. Joey gave Pacey a quizzical look, she frowned and stopped. "There's something you're not telling me Pacey, you're keeping something from me." Pacey chewed on the inside of his cheek and slowly bobbed his head in the affirmative and took a breath.

"You're right, and this goes along with why I was angry at you." He said. Joey chewed on her lip as they continued walking, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, Pacey eyed her closely.

"You didn't think I trusted you." Pacey nodded. "I'm sorry Pacey, I do trust you. I do, I don't know why I allowed my imagination get away from me."

"Okay, well with all that in mind, yes there is something i am keeping from you."

"And you're not going to tell me. If I trust you like I say I do then I will be okay with not knowing?" Pacey smiled as he nodded. Joey sucked her cheek in at this and took her breath before finally nodding.

"Okay."

Pacey stopped, taken by surprise at how easy it was, he had prepared himself for more of a battle.

"Well I do trust you Pace, now that my head and my heart are currently on the same page it's much easier. " Pacey chuckled as they turned to head towards Jack's. "I will make sure that in the future i will not jump to conclusions, because I trust you. We need to try with the whole honesty idea too. I guess I freaked out because I felt like everything seemed too easy for us, too perfect. I was just looking for something that simply wasn't there."

"I did kind of drop the ball there though Jo" Joey agreed with a nod.

"I think we both did Pace"

"i'm sorry I caused you to feel that you weren't all that i wanted because you are. You have always been enough for me Joey." Pacey stopped to place his hands on Joey's arms "I will try to think before I rush ahead Jo. Because I don't ever want to break your heart like I have in the past, if I do that." He bit his lip and lightly shook his head. "I've got nowhere to go. I'll have no home."

Pacey and Joey walked the rest of the way with Pacey's arm around Joey's shoulders, their fingers entwined.

The week went by quickly, while Pacey oversaw the renovations for the new function room, Joey spent time in Jack's office he had cleared for her to work on the illustrations for the upcoming children's book she was hired to create. Lunches were spent discussing the upcoming nuptial plans with Jen and occasionally Pacey would begrudgingly join them for lunch, much to his chagrin. Melanie had ducked into the cafe one time to talk to Pacey about her run in with the self centred, self absorbed director by the name of one Dawson Leery. All thought what terrific luck it was that out of all of Boston and surrounding areas he had walked into the firm in which she worked.

She was not worried and said he could certainly proceed with trying to gain custody she didn't think he would be terribly successful seeing as he pretty much abandoned his child. Joey and Pacey planned to take Ben to Capeside over the weekend so Pacey could take around the video for Gail.

Packed and ready to leave, Joey sat in the car while Pacey stood out the front of Jack's house on the phone to Jason with last minute changes on the menu for the weekend as their fresh fish order had been delayed, much to Pacey's annoyance there was nothing he could really do.

Joey had suggested he use prepacked fish and Pacey had snorted at her and said if she valued their relationship as it currently stood she would reconsider making any further ridiculous remarks in the future. Joey of coarse agreed that clearly she had no idea what she was talking about, Pacey nodded and asked her to never let it happen again.

Now they were on the road to Capeside, Pacey was happy he could drive there without having the feeling of his chest tightening.

Ben bounded excitedly once Pacey had unbuckled him, tearing off in search of Alex, to tell him and Bessie all about school. Pacey shook his head and carried their bags inside. Bessie greeted them warmly and began making coffees so they could sit and catch up, Ben announced he would be bunking in with Alex, Pacey grinned at Joey, salaciously agreeing it was a wonderful idea.

They sat chatting when Ben came running into the kitchen in mild panic.

"Daddy, did you pack my painting for Bessie?" Pacey smiled and nodded. Joey looked to Ben.

"What painting, the one with the dinosaurs and the swimming pool?" Ben shook his head, tugging at Pacey's arm.

"It's in the bag right, come on Daddy, let's get it." Pacey smiled as he left to get Ben's painting. He returned moments later.

"Here, what's this one, I didn't see this one." Pacey spoke as he held up a folded painting. Ben grinned and snatched them from his father, handing Bessie his painting which depicted the creek and the dock and also showed a large green dinosaur swimming in the water.

"Oh wow Ben, this is amazing." Bessie grinned and stood up. "I'll put it on the fridge. Thank you" She said as she bent down to kiss Ben on the head. He beamed proudly before turning to Joey.

"I painted this for you but, I forgot to give it to you because you came here to visit Bessie." Joey frowned as she took the folded paper.

"Thank you Ben." She spoke and unfolded the paper. Pacey and Bessie began to talk about the renovations which started earlier in the week. As Joey stared at Ben's painting she felt the sting of tears begin behind her eyes. Pacey looked to Joey with concern and moved around to Joey.

"You okay Jo?" He asked as he made it beside her. Joey nodded and suddenly began to cry. Ben looked at her in alarm.

"D-don't you like it?" He asked, disappointed. Joey looked to Ben and offered a watery smile.

"This is the most beautiful painting I have ever seen." She sniffled. "Thank you Ben." Joey leant over and hugged him, dropped a noisy kiss on his head, she wiped her eyes. Ben grinned and took off back into Alex's room. Pacey leant over with confusion to look at the painting. He smiled down at his son's creation. He had Joey and Pacey standing both holding hands with Ben who stood between them. Ben's teacher had labelled everyone. The top of the painting read; My Family. While the people showed Me, Daddy and Mommy. Pacey wiped his eyes, leant over to place a soft kiss on Joey's lips.

Joey pulled her jacket on later that evening and made her way out to sit at her spot on the dock. A happy smile having never left her lips since receiving Ben's painting.

"I can not believe how much I love that little boy." She said as Pacey moved down the dock, stopping, he shook his head. "You know you can't sneak up on me Pace" She grinned and looked behind her. Pacey smiled and handed her a cup of steaming cocoa, sitting beside her with his own.

"It's amazing feeling isn't it, to love someone so wholly so unconditionally and receive it in return." Joey nodded, blowing at the cup gingerly before sipping at the contents. "That boy of ours sure is talented huh?" Joey grinned and nodded. Joey's head dropped back as they both sat and stared up into the sky at the stars above them.

"You know, my Dad used to say that the stars are little children's teeth, the toothfairy takes your teeth and puts them in the sky and they become stars." Joey chuckled. Pacey smiled, leaning back and swinging his legs over the dock.

"Yeah, well Pop told me to forget about about wishing on stars because no dreams come true with wishing and to get off your ass and work for it. Which he also said that if they ever did come true they were usually a disappointment." Pacey chuckled. "Not the nicest thing to tell an eight year old but, I guess in a way he was right. You have to work for what you really want, fight for it."

Joey shrugged. "I suppose, but kids need a little magic though don't they?"

"Yes, they certainly do." Pacey slowly stood up and offered a hand to Joey, she smiled as he helped her to her feet. They made their way back up the dock and into the B&B, it was quiet with everyone having retired to bed. Joey locked the door and She and Pacey made their way to their room.

Joey yawned as she undressed. Pacey watched in appreciation as she slid her jeans from her legs and slipped off her shirt.

"You can go a little slower if you like" Pacey grinned from the bed, Joey looked at him over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. She turned to stand in her underwear with her hands on her hip, eyebrow arched with a smirk across her face. Pacey got to his knees and made his way over to her. "C'mere Potter."

Joey gasped as Pacey's hands slid around her back, unhooked her bra and pulled her onto the bed with him, flipping her onto her back all in one motion. Joey grinned.

"A little eager aren't we?"

"Jo, we have spent a week with Ben in our bed." He spoke low as his mouth descended to hers, tasting of love, familiarity and home. Joey moaned against him as he shifted his weight to slide his hands behind her back and pull her closer to him while his mouth began to trail soft kisses and nips, his tongue swirling languidly down the length of her neck. Pacey moaned against the smooth softness of her skin as his mouth and tongue journeyed over the swell of her breasts, the scent of her lingering perfume and body wash causing his senses to heighten with pleasure and need. Joey's back arched while a shaky breath slipped past her lips of the sensation of Pacey's mouth licking and sucking. Joey's hands moved to rake through Pacey's soft hair, closing her eyes and moaning in pleasure at his touch.

Joey's eyes flew open when Pacey's movements stilled and he pulled back, looking to her with hesitancy.

"Pace?" She breathed.

"Um, Jo?" He asked, wanting nothing more than to continue their journey together into ecstasy.

"Yeah?"

Pacey moved up Joey's body, reaching to push the hair from her forehead. He playing with the long, dark tresses. Looking into her eyes and letting a nervous chuckle escape his lips.

"Um, you're...ahem. You're leaking." He said, biting his lip lightly as he surveyed her face for her reaction. Joey offered a confused look.

"Huh?" Pacey took a shaky breath and nodded, moving his mouth down briefly to clamp over her breast to reiterate before turning back to her. "What?" mono syllabic words was all she could offer.

"How's, um how's" He laughed lightly. "You're cycle Jo?"

"My cycle?" Pacey nodded, a small smile began to tug at the corner of his mouth as he watched Joey narrow her eyes in thought and finally her mouth opened and her eyes grew wide at what Pacey was trying to say. "You, you think..." Pacey's smile increased as he nodded.

"Pretty sure we're pregnant." Joey swallowed the lump in her throat. "I learnt a lot through lamaze class with Audrey, some pretty scary stories too." He laughed as he moved off of her to lie beside her.

"Oh." Pacey slid his arm around her back to bring her close to him.

"Are you okay Jo?" Joey chewed on her lip in thought, she slowly nodded her head as the possibility played about in her head.

"Um, yes. Surprisingly." She laughed, raising her eyebrows at Pacey. "You?" Pacey's response was a large grin. "I mean, i'll have to make a doctor's appointment to confirm it though." Pacey nodded, dropping a kiss on top her her head, unable to remove the smile from his face.

Joey snuggled into in Pacey, placing a soft kiss on his bare chest, the warmth from his body travelling through and into her own. Pacey placed his fingers on Joey's chin and gently tilted her face up to his, leaning in to brush his lips against hers softly.

"Now." He murmured."Where were we?" Joey's chortle was quickly swallowed up as Pacey's tongue delved into the depths of her mouth.

In the week that followed, Joey's pregnancy was confirmed, giving them a tentative date of mid June. Pacey and Joey decided to wait a further week before telling anyone. Both deciding it would be better to wait until the first trimester was behind them. Joey groaned, complaining to Pacey that morning sickness was a first trimester affliction. Pacey shrugged and said it could last the entire pregnancy. Pacey then retracted his statement when Joey told him she and Ben would be taking the bed and he was now on the couch.

Pacey watched Joey from her chair in Jack's study as she gazed out into the back garden.

"What are you thinking?" He asked her gently as he leant up against the door frame, his hands in his pockets. Joey's head turned to look at Pacey, she offered a small frown before taking a breath.

"How do you think Ben's going to react?"

"To the baby?" Pacey pulled his hands out of his pockets and crossed the room to crouch beside her. "I think he'll be as excited as us." He smiled. Joey took a breath and smiled.

"I hope so." Pacey leant up to place a kiss of reassurance upon her lips.

"I have got to get to the restaurant, Jason's picking me up so you'll have the car." Joey nodded, placed her paintbrush down and stood to walk out with Pacey. "You okay to pick Ben up?" He asked her.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked him, Pacey shrugged and scratched his temple lightly then shook his head. "Pacey, I have already told you. I am not an invalid, picking our son up from school does not constitute physical exertion." Pacey smirked and nodded.

"Okay, sorry. I - i'm doing it again aren't I?" Joey placed her hands on her hips and lifted her brow. "Yes, well. I will see you tonight then." Pacey gave a quick chaste kiss and left at the sound of Jason honking the horn from the road. Joey smiled and shook her head as she made her way back to her work in the study.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N Hope you like this chapter, hope to update with the next one by the end of the week, please R&R as I live for the reviews!_

The Least Travelled Road

Chapter 6

Michael arrived home to find his wife sitting within the darkness of the living room, the only light emanating from the television, her cheeks tear stained and eyes red rimmed. She sniffled and wiped her nose. Michael's brows furrowed with worry at the sight of Gail. She looked up to her husband offering a watery smile and a wave of her hand toward the screen, explaining without words as to the reason for her emotional demeanour.

"Oh, Mike" Her voice thick with unuse, she cleared her throat. "He's so beautiful." She lightly blew her nose as Michael made his way further into the living room, he sat on the couch next to Gail and turned his attention to the little boy on the screen.

_"Dadda, Dadda" There was a woman's light laugh from behind the camera._

_"C'mon Benji, you can do it." Pacey held his arms out. Ben too a tentative step and then a second before dropping on his behind, a hiccup escaped his lips on impact. He sat and a low growl of defeat rumbled up through his body. The woman laughed, the camera moved with her. Pacey's eyes looked up to the camera. "Keep the camera still Gretch." _

Gail laughed, Michael smiled while he pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose. He turned to Gail.

"Have you spoken to Dawson?" He asked her. Gail sighed and moved to pause the video. Stood up and made her way into the kitchen with Michael following her. She shook her head.

"Yes. But not about this" She stated "I think I will wait until he is back here next, for Thanksgiving or Christmas." Michael nodded.

Gail frowned, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I wish I had known Mike, I have missed out so much." She said, shaking her head lightly. "I want to get to know Ben"

Michael moved to Gail, placing his hands gently on her arms.

"Have you spoken to Pacey about this?" Gail shook her head. She had wanted to but had chickened out at the last minute. While she was fairly certain Pacey would try to accommodate her wishes she also knew he would be apprehensive. She certainly couldn't fault him for that, it was another attribute Pacey owned which tended to lose it's way with her own son. While Pacey would be apprehensive because he was worried about Ben and the possible ramifications, Dawson, however would have simply chosen to regard it with a selfish and self absorbed view.

Gail silently wondered what Mitch and herself had done wrong with raising Dawson, while he certainly did have his amazing qualities she couldn't help but wonder now, as she began to get to know Dawson, the adult if most of his actions were simply there to fuel an ulterior angle.

She put it down to he being an only child for most of his young life and she and Mitch simply mollycoddling him.

The late afternoon light streamed through the kitchen windows as Jen hung up the phone to Joey, her eyebrows furrowed in thought. Jason made his way in through the front door and watched Jen quietly, a smile slowly creeping across his face as he took the sight of her in.

"Hey beautiful" He said finally, Jen looked up with a perplexed expression before smiling. "You okay?" He asked as he moved to sit across from her at the table. Jen shrugged and looked down to the phone in her hand, she looked back up to Jason, her gaze locked with his.

"I-I think Joey's." She frowned. "Broken" Jason's eyes widened as he repeated her.

"Broken?" Jen nodded. "Why?" Jen sat the phone down and placed her chin in her hand.

"She's happy." She said. Jason snorted at her words and shook his head.

"She's happy. So that means she's broken?" Jen nodded.

"Not just happy, I mean really happy. Giggling and shit. That kind of happy. Joey doesn't giggle, she looks at everything as glass half empty. That, does not coincide with delirious giggling."

Jason shook his head with a chuckle. "Joey invited us for dinner." She said as she stood. "So, we'd better get a move on, because while she might be in a good mood I don't think it could possibly withstand tardy behavior." Jason smirked and left to get changed, happy for the fact that he and Pacey had every Saturday night off now that Greg happily took over running the kitchen on those nights.

Moments later Jen called down the hall with irritation, Grams stood beside her giving her a reproachful look.

"What?"

"Must you call out Jennifer like an uncouth hooligan?" Jen simply rolled her eyes and turned her head back toward the bedroom. Jason made his way into the kitchen, pulling his coat on before moving to help Grams with her own.

"Thank you dear." Grams smiled as they exited the apartment on their way to Jack's house.

Doug answered the door to Jason, Grams and Jen, ushering them out of the cold and taking their coats. Jen smiled as she hugged Doug, having not seen him around for a couple of weeks.

"Hey Doug, it's great to see you." She said " Haven't seen you around much" She said, Doug smiled and nodded.

"Yeah I know, have been trying to ah, mend a few fences with Pop." He said on a sigh.

"Oh, how is that going?" Her voice lowered to a more intimate tone. Doug's mouth dipped at the corners.

"Slowly." He offered as they made their way into the living room "But decidedly better as the days wear on." Jen smiled and rubbed Doug's back affectionately.

"That's good to hear." She said while looking around her. Jack and Ben sat on the couch chatting away to Grams and Jason. "Where's Joey and Pacey?" She asked, Doug nodded to the kitchen.

"Unless you want to be roped into helping with dinner prep, I'd give it a bit." He smiled. Jen laughed lightly.

Joey stood at the kitchen bench chopping vegetables as Pacey checked on the roast pork in the oven.

"Looks like they're all here now." Joey smiled, Pacey tossed the tea towel on the bench and moved up behind Joey.

"Uh -huh." He said, gently pushing Joey's long hair away from her neck to lower his mouth to her skin. Joey's eyes closed briefly at his contact, the familiar tingle rushing through her body at his touch. Joey could feel Pacey's hand move to her front, his fingers tracing the neck of her cashmere sweater, Joey lifted an eyebrow in amusement as Pacey hooked his finger in the opening of her sweater and pulled it out away from her body.

"Pacey, what are you doing?" She smirked.

"Nothing." He said innocently, a smile tugging at his lips as he appreciated the small increase in her cleavage.

"Nothing?" She guffawed. "Looks like you are ogling my breasts Pacey." She smiled. Pacey let go of her top and stepped back in mock shock, Joey turned to look at him. Pacey placed a hand over his heart.

"I would _never_." He said with feigned appall. Joey shook her head in mild reproof and turned to continue with the vegetables, a smile on her face. The sound of footsteps came through from down the hall, Jen stood and watched Joey with narrowed eyes, she then looked to Pacey. They looked behind them at her.

"Hey Jen" Joey grinned, wiping her hands on the towel, moving away from the bench. Pacey picked up his bottle of beer and grinned as well. Jen clucked her tongue and stood for a beat to watch them carefully, Joey furrowed her eyebrows and opened her mouth to speak but was cut off with Jen's voice.

"What's going on with you two?" She asked finally. "There's something off, you are too happy Joey. It's it's getting uncomfortable and I don't know what to do about it." Jen crossed her arms across her chest. Joey giggled. "Pacey look what you've done." She admonished the man who stood, his eyebrows lifted in curiosity.

"What exactly have I done Lindley?" A smirk playing around his mouth.

"Well it's obvious isn't it?" She threw her arms up in exasperation. "You've broken her, you have broken Jo-" Jen took a step forward to regard her friend, giving her the once over. A look of insight finally washing over her, she offered a smile and stepped forward another step, her eyes on Joey. Joey shifted uneasily beneath Jen's pointed gaze. "That sweater."

She said, bobbing her head.

"What about it?" Joey looked to Pacey, he offered a shrug. Clearly it was Jen who had broke or clearly have leave of her mental faculties.

"I remember it."

"And..." Joey chided her.

"I don't recall it ever looking so, what's the word?"

"Blue?" Joey offered, Jen shook her head.

"Fluffy?" Pacey said. Jen shook her head.

"Snug." She smiled "Especially around the boobs and the tummy area." Her smile widened as Joey and Pacey both looked to each other and grinned. Jason poked his head around the doorway to se three faces grinning.

"Er, what's going on in here?" He asked warily.

"Joey's not broken." Jen sang "Pacey's knocked her up!" She pronounced with glee, clapping her hands and bouncing on her heels. Jason stood, his mouth agape in surprise.

Pacey quietly closed the door behind him as he made his way into the bedroom later that night, slipping in beneath the covers next to a sleeping Ben. Joey sat, reading a book, absently running her fingers through the young boy's hair as her eyes were fixed on the words.

Pacey's chest swelled with emotion at the sight, wanting to lie with them in silence to simply breathe it all in. To know that no matter where they were, these two people, along with the miracle growing within Joey were his everything, his whole world and the very reason he existed. He was amazed at how his life had turned out. Filled with insecurities and ambivalences in the past. Now those feelings long forgotten as though a waning dream, where, when he thought about it, maybe never really existed at all.

Joey closed her book and sat it in her lap, she smiled down at Ben's peaceful face of slumber.

"Well, I think tonight went well." She spoke softly, her eyes still on Ben. Pacey nodded.

"I'm surprised Jack didn't already know, given that Ben has known about the baby for most of the week." Joey nodded her agreement.

"He's pretty good at keeping a secret." She smiled, looking to Pacey. A flash of uncertainty crossed her face briefly before dissolving as quickly as it had appeared. Pacey, however caught the look.

"Jo?" He asked with hesitation. "You okay?" She only sighed, her hand stilled on Ben's head before slowly pulling it away. Her lips clamped shut in a thin line. Pacey watched her as he waited for her to afford him a verbal response to his question. She shrugged and looked to him.

"Does Ben seem different to you?" She asked him. Pacey frowned while he contemplated her question, he chewed on the inside of his cheek trying to assimilate Ben's behaviour of late.

"Maybe." He supplied uncertain. "I guess a little."

"Do you think he's upset?"

"About the baby?" He asked, Joey nodded.

"I'm not sure if he's upset exactly. I think it's more trying to work it all out and what it means."

"It's a lot for him to take in." Joey agreed. "For quite a while it was just you and him. Then you, him and me and now. Just when he's had the time to accept me, there's going to be a baby. That's a lot for a five year old Pace." Pacey nodded, gently reaching to brush a lock of blonde away from Ben's forehead.

"Yeah, I know. I think we just need to be mindful of that, make sure that while our family is growing, doesn't mean it's for the worst. Just different." Joey nodded.

"You're right, it's just tonight has been the first time where he didn't want me to read to him tonight." She frowned. Pacey sighed and reached out to place his hand gently over the small swell of Joey's stomach.

"We're all learning here Jo, it's okay we'll figure it out." Joey smiled at Pacey's encouragement.

"You know Pace, i'm not quite four months along, I'm not really showing am I." Pacey smiled and shook his head.

"Not noticeably, well not to anyone else but I have noticed the differences in your body." Joey nodded. "Jen has always had a creepy sixth sense of this type of thing though" He chuckled lightly. Joey smiled in response and place the book on the side table, she leant to kiss Pacey softly and then dropped a light kiss upon Ben. Tuning to switch the lamp off and snuggle down under the covers.

"Night Pace."

"Night, Jo."

A week had passed with small incidents niggling at Joey, while she had not thought addressing them with Pacey was important at the time, now however she thought perhaps it had been a mistake to keep it from him. Joey stood with Ben's favourite sweater with a motif of Thomas the Tank Engine on the front. Her hand on her hip as she attempted to speak in a stern yet loving motherly tone.

"Ben?" She spoke evenly. "You'll be late if you don't finish getting dressed." She said, holding on thinly to her patience. Ben looked up from their bed, strewn with dinosaurs of varying size and colour. He offered her a scowl before returning to his game upon the bed. "Ben!" This time her voice sounded harsher then she intended and the young boy's head shot up in surprise. "Please" Her face softened. Ben stared at her before letting out a breath of exasperation. He made his way off the bed and moved to Joey, snatching the sweater off her and leaving the room. Joey sighed in defeat and leaned up against the doorframe wearily.

With Ben happily sitting at the table with Jack eating his breakfast Pacey made his way down the hall to Joey, he smiled lightly.

"Has your 'baby brain' caused you to forget how to dress our son?" He asked with a smirk. Joey's eyes opened, her face hardened.

"No, Pacey. I'm not that useless." She snapped at him, pushing herself to stand straight. Pacey's face fell.

"Sorry Joey, it was a- a joke."

"Well I really don't find it all that funny. Maybe you should work on that." Joey brushed past him angrily and made her way into the kitchen. Jack could feel tension beginning to make it's way into the kitchen as Pacey came back in with Ben's bag.

"You ready Benji." Ben smiled and jumped up nodding. "Okay, let's go." He said, giving Ben a quizzical look as he raced off to the front door without so much as a goodbye kiss for Joey. He looked to Joey who merely shrugged.

"Come on, we'll be late. We have to pick Stella up remember."

"Yeah, I know." Pacey threw an apologetic look over his shoulder as he followed his son out of the house.

Joey sat, twisting her fork absently within her pasta, oblivious to the look of concern on Jen's face. Joey let out a breath and finally raised her eyes to lock with Jen's. Her friends worried stare startling her momentarily.

"What?" Jen licked her lips and took a breath before speaking.

Something is bothering you, i've noticed it for a few days, I was going to say something but..." Joey nodded her head, knowing over the past few days she had felt the stress through her body with the way things felt tense between her and Ben, it had been getting decidedly worse. While her initial thoughts were to ignore it in the hopes it was a result of her overreacting she knew that not to be the case.

"Is it the baby?" She asked her. Joey shook her head vigorously "Pacey?

"No, no everything is great it..." She sighed. "It's Ben." She said. Jen nodded slowly, taking a sip from her water while she waited for Joey to elaborate further. "He's, I don't know, pulling away, wont let me do things for him, won't allow me to read to him of a night. Won't listen to me he argues with me at every turn." Joey sighed. "At first it was just little things but it's getting worse."

"Well what does Pacey think?" The corners of her mouth dipping into a small frown and she looked down to her plate. "You haven't told him. Why?" She asked her.

"I didn't want to bother him, I mean he is completely his usual self with Pacey. Plus with the renovations for the restaurant, I mean he really wants to get these private function rooms done by Christmas. He already has them booked well into the New Year. Not to mention making sure it will all be perfect for the wedding." Jen nodded.

"I understand that Joey, but don't you think this is important enough to tell him."

"Yes, I know but I don't want him to think it's some, pregnancy hormone thing." Jen laughed and shook her head. "Maybe...I don't know Jen."

"Have you tried talking to him, to Ben I mean." Joey chewed on her lip "I mean, it couldn't hurt right?"

"No, well I mean at this point, it really couldn't get any worse. He enjoys so many things with Pace, but me?" She shrugged, stabbing at her lunch. Jen's eyes widened and she smiled.

"Well that's it then right?" Joey gave a questioning look as she reached for her glass, she shook her head.

"What?"

"Find something for you and Ben to do, together. Bond over something." Joey worried her lip in thought, she had a point. While at the moment Ben had no inclination to partake in anything with Joey he could do with Pacey, maybe she could find something to do with him he enjoyed but couldn't with Pacey.

"Thank you Jen, I think you're right."

Jen let out a breath of relief, hoping for the best, they began to eat in silence when Jen looked to Joey warily.

"Um, Jo. There's something I wanted to ask you, and I know the situation is, well awkward but i mean, i know you have this wobbly situation and, and Pacey too with..." Joey shook her head, not following where Jen was leading to. "I mean if you don't want me to, if Pacey doesn't that's okay but I-I really would like to and we are all friends and we have been for years. But you are my best friend and that matters a lot and I love Pace like a brother so...so if..." Joey began to nod in understanding.

"It's fine Jen, i'm okay with it and I really think Pacey would be too. If you want to invite Dawson to your wedding we can be adult about this." Jen nodded slowly.

"Okay, I mean if, if you're sure." Joey nodded to her and smiled.

"Yes, i'm sure Jen. You and Dawson are still friends after all." Jen nodded, feeling a weight being lifted from her shoulder.

"Thanks Joey." Joey smiled.

"There's no need to thank me Jen, it is your wedding and you are entitled to invite who ever you want." Joey and Jen the remainder of lunch talking about wedding plans, Jason's niece to be the flower girl and Ben as a ring bearer. One of Jen's friends from where she worked; Trudie was to be a bridesmaid along with Jason's sister. Jen had chosen Joey as her maid of honor and Jason had his brother and Jack as groomsmen.

Jen had mentioned to Joey that Jason planned to ask Pacey to be his best man. Joey smiled, knowing Pacey would be incredibly honored. Jen was pleased he had chosen Pacey but was also a little worried about the best man speech.

Joey laughed. "Maybe we'll have to make sure to have speeches well and truly over before too much alcohol in consumed." Jen nodded with a smile.

Joey and Jen parted ways for Jen to return to work and Joey to follow through with Jen's advice, and so without hesitation Joey made her way along the streets of boutiques and specialty stores until she came to the very one she was after. Hoping her plans would be well received.

She was determined to fix her relationship with Ben without the need for Pacey's intervention. Joey smiled as she exited the store and made her way back to the truck, she had a couple of hours left until she needed to pick Ben and Stella up from school. It would give her time to get things ready.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Apologies for the delay, have had a few events happening within my personal life lately so this has been going a little slowly. I hope to get the next chapter completed soon and I was not going to update with this chapter until I had ch 8 finished but it was taking too long and I hope it will be finished soon and ch 9 started soon also. As always, please R&R!_

The Least Travelled Road

Chapter 7

The clouds were dark in the sky at mid morning when Gail stood in the dining area of Leery's Fresh Fish, she looked out across the street to a familiar figure. She bit down on her lip with apprehension and moved to grab her coat. There was a small breeze swirling around the docks, it's icy touch biting through her jacket as she crossed over to stand beside John Witter. He leant over the railing, looking out to the choppy water before him. The small bay side marina was closed and all the vessels had retired to dry dock for the winter.

"It's going to be a cold winter this year." He mused as Gail rested her hands on the railings. Gail nodded.

"How are you John?" She asked him. John simply shrugged. "Everything okay, Marg well?" She asked him with concern. While Sheriff Witter was known for his gruff exterior and stoic veneer, Gail however had known the man for many years.

John let out a raspy breath, while not a man to wear his heart on his sleeve, he had seemed to be struggling with Doug's news from months before and perhaps to more of an extent, to his youngest Son turning up after so many years of incommunicado. While he had spoken to Marg at length over the Doug scenario, they both agreed that while the news was shocking to hear it was by no means devastating.

What he was finding hard to discuss with his wife was Pacey. His visit had brought about it a strange maternal urge with his wife, while up until now had merely existed in the deep recesses within her. Surfacing , it would appear due to the long time spent without their son in their lives.

John too, felt a strange sensation toward Pacey, he would not go so far as to say it was unbridled happiness, it certainly was not, on the flip side anger either.

Perhaps it may be something, he knew what it was and it felt similar to something like regret.

Now, with Gail Leery of all people he was about to pour out his thoughts which had played no small amount of havoc on his mind. Gail was the mother of the perfect, starry eyed boy who was now a man. A boy in John's eyes who could do no wrong, who he had always wished Pacey wanted to aspire to be like.

"Congratulations on your marriage." He grumbled. Gail smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, Mike and I received your card." John nodded.

"How's the kids, Lily and Dawson. He's taking Hollywood by storm?" John noticed a small frown cross her face briefly.

"Lily's great, she's doing well in school." She spoke. John smiled, she was a good kid, he knew Mitch would be proud. "Dawson, well..." She sighed. "Dawson is a little lost in a way." John's brow furrowed at her words. "With the whole custody issue with Ben and Pacey."

"What custody issue, who's Ben?" He asked with shock.

"Pacey's son." Gail said in disbelief "Your grandson." Gail's mouth dropped in realisation. "I-I thought you knew about it...I thought. When was the last time you spoke to Pacey?" She asked him.

"The weekend you were married. Before that, the last time i spoke with him was in the form of an argument. Before his car accident." Gail's eyes widened and she shook her head. "I haven't heard anything about him or his life in those years." John's heart began hammering in his chest. Gail's face softened and she rested her hand on his arm.

"Oh John, you have missed out on so much." She turned to the restaurant. "How about we go and talk, get a coffee?" John nodded numbly and allowed Gail to lead him across the street.

Gail and John sat for hours while she filled him in on what she knew, which was not a great deal. Mostly on what Pacey had talked to her about the month earlier and what she was able to hear in snippets from Bessie or Alex. John only sat in stunned silence, listening to everything.

Now, the anger and regret John had felt at one stage or another, he now felt something else and it was quite possibly that of deep shame. Shame he felt for how he had treated his son over the years and just a few months previously.

"You should be so proud of Pacey John, so proud." She smiled. "He is every bit the man I knew he would eventually be." She sighed. "Every bit the man Dawson is not, and while I love my son. His actions over the years, i'm sorry to say truly make me ashamed of him. To know that we didn't ever raise him to be this way." Gail shook her head, trying to then shake off the feelings she had toward her son, knowing that she and Mitch though unknowing at the time had perhaps given him too much, too much leniency and allowed him to get away with things other parents wouldn't.

John found that while he clearly didn't know anything about what Pacey's life was like since the last time he was in his life, that was because of his own stupid pride and arrogance because clearly even Doug didn't tell him anything. While that knowledge clearly played across his mind at how he didn't know who his son was now, the one thought in which continued to eat away at him was the fact that perhaps he never really knew him at all and only used Pacey's faults and mistakes as his guide as to the person he thought he was. Clearly he had it all wrong and while he conceded to that he also wondered what else he had wrong in the course of his life.

Pacey yawned and flopped down next to Jason in the dining area after finishing up with clearing the kitchen after lunch. Pacey took a long drink from his bottled water and sighed. Jason looked to him, his face wrinkled with concern. He had noted Pacey's distracted behavior of late and wondered what the cause for it could possibility be.

"Everything okay with you Pace, you seem a little off." He spoke to his friend, wondering if asking him to be his best man was such a great idea. With the renovations, Dawson and now a baby on the way Jason wondered if Pacey was stretched too thin as it was without adding to his stress with best man duties.

Pacey lifted his shoulders in an attempt to shrug it off, only coming off as more vexed than he previously appeared. He slumped his body over with his arms resting on his knees, taking a sigh he looked to Jason.

"Everything okay with Joey and the baby?" Jason asked, giving him an opportunity to talk to him about it. They had over the years had many conversations, most of which revolved around dysfunctional fathers and the trials of fatherhood, which while Jason had no experience with being a father personally, he had always allowed himself to listen and empathise with Pacey.

So, he now waited for Pacey to talk to him.

"Yeah, yeah it's nothing like that." He said. "I'm worried about Ben" Jason nodded slowly urging Pacey to continue. "He's different, the way he has been acting lately, I mean not with me but with Joey. Small things you know?"

"Have you talked to him about it?" Pacey shook his head. "What about Joey?"

"Joey's doing her usual Joey act. Getting defensive, snippy and taking it out on me." He smirked. "Could be the hormones but I think it's the strained relationship between her and Ben." Pacey sighed. "And Joey being Joey..."

"She's taking it upon herself to fix or to deal with on her own." Pacey nodded, waving his hand about.

"Josephine Potter, not sure if you've met her. She can break a guys nose, take on a school superintendent and run away for the summer. There's nothing that woman can't do and this, I think, she feels is no different."

Jason chuckled before his face pulled back into a serious expression. But before he could say anything more they were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Working hard little brother?" Doug smiled as Pacey's head jerked around, an easy smile crossed his face.

"You know me Doug, always working hard. How are you?" Doug took a small breath, saying hello to Jason before joining them at the table.

"I was talking to Dad this morning" He said warily. Pacey frowned.

"And you drove in to Boston to tell me this, why?"

"We had a talk, a really great talk actually." Doug laughed almost in disbelief. Pacey smiled. "He um, he wants to meet Jack." Doug said, waiting for Pacey's nod for him to continue. "He wants us to have dinner with him, I um. I suggested dinner...at Jacks, tomorrow night." Pacey's eyes widened momentarily by way of his disbelieving response.

"And he knows..."

"That you're staying there, yes."

"And that-"

"You have Saturday nights off, also yes Pacey." Pacey shook his head. "He doesn't know about Ben, or Joey and I guess the baby for that matter." Doug laughed a little, more out of reflex than any emotional response. His face turned serious. "You know Pace, he's trying. He really is."

Pacey stood up and through his arms in the air, a bitter laugh passed between his lips while he shook his head. Jason watched in mild fascination, Doug and Pacey very much like Jason and his older brother, their families so similar it almost felt as though they were alternate versions, only slightly different of the the same family.

He understood where Pacey was coming from he truly did. While his relationship with his own Father was very similar he had begun to rebuild his relationship with him, Pacey however was adamant with keeping any ties with his father severed. Jason hoped that perhaps he might change his mind, especially now with a baby on the way and while Jason never saw Ben as being anyone other than Pacey's son he felt maybe Pacey who would be bringing his very own flesh in blood into the world meant he might feel differently.

Doug waited while Pacey gesticulated animatedly about, waiting for him to offer up an argument or at least some form of verbal protest.

"He's trying?" Pacey snorted. "Trying, well okay better late than never hey?" His voice dripping with sarcasm. "Better late than never." He repeated and it was all he decided to say before he made his way back into the kitchen. Jason looked to Doug and shrugged as he stood.

"Would you mind if maybe, you and Jen could be there too?" Doug asked, his expression sheepish. "Safety in numbers so to speak." Jason smiled and nodded at Pacey's brother. Doug nodded shortly and turned to leave. He stopped and turned.

"I don't blame him you know." He nodded to where Pacey had left "I mean he always got the brunt of the old man's anger, disappointment and beatings. I don't blame him at all. But..." He sighed. " I also know that Pacey is better than how he was treated, better than the old man. He's better than anyone I know." Doug frowned and left.

Joey pulled Pacey's truck in along the kerb and shifted the car into neutral. She took a breath and exited the car, making her way into school toward the kindergarten class room. She pulled the coat around her tightly to ward off the crisp air as it tugged at her clothes and tangled her hair. Joey stood alongside the other waiting mothers and fathers in the corridor outside the class room. She couldn't help but feel out of place at that very moment, not because she thought she had seemed as though she was the odd one out seeing as she was just the step mother as there were possibly a few of those in the group waiting, it was because out of everyone, Ben would possibly be the only child there who's heart would sink when he saw who would be picking him up. It hurt her to admit this even if it was only to herself, up until she and Pacey had told him about the baby, and while initially he had leapt with excitement now the lustre had worn off.

The shrill ringing of the bell to signal end of school sounded and Joey's stomach tightened, kids came rushing through the doors in a mix of moods. Joey stepped forward to the threshold of Ben's room as he and Stella were moving towards her. Miss Larsen, a petite woman with an infectious smile made her way over behind them.

"Hello Mrs Witter."

"Hi." Joey smiled, not wanting to correct the woman on her unmarried status. Always happy to live within the illusion that she, Ben and Pacey lived together like a normal family. It was quickly shattered, however when Ben corrected his teacher, Joey frowned and the woman simply shrugged with a smile. Joey quickly helped Stella with her coat and bag, she blanched at Ben's refusal for her help with his jacket, accepting the help from Miss Larsen instead. Joey handed him his bag without a word and they made their way out of the school in silence.

Joey tried to remain upbeat on the way home, after they dropped Stella off home and continued on their way back to Jack's, Joey wondering if what she had planned for the afternoon was such a good idea. She wondered if it would even make the smallest amount of difference. If it didn't well at least she supposed she couldn't say that she did at least try.

And she would try _damnit!_

Ben muttered a barely audible thank you and while it was not a grand declaration she did smile for the small token of altruism he had managed to allow her.

Joey unlocked the door and they made their way inside out of the cold, Ben dumped his bag and his jacket unceremoniously onto the floor and went in search for food. Joey only sighed as his behavior had worsened three fold in the span of one day. She picked his jacket up and hung it up by the front door and took his bag into the kitchen so she could check for any letters and remaining lunch he may not have eaten.

Without a word, Joey pulled a glass down out of the cupboard and poured him some milk, she placed some cookies onto a plate for him also, he murmured beneath his breath Joey could only assume was thank you.

It was now or never, Joey thought. She busied her self with making a coffee as she mulled over how to approach him, suddenly feeling the bond they had forged with one another slowly slipping. Joey picked her cup up and lent against the sink, she took a few breaths before attempting to speak to him.

"I bought some things today, when I went for lunch with Jen, I bought it for you." She said cautiously, treading carefully as though she were creeping upon a timid deer in the forest. Ben's head slowly raised from his plate of cookies to regard her curiously, she made to move down the hall. When Ben didn't follow she looked back to him. "It's down here, in the study."

Ben hesitated a beat before curiosity won him over and he eventually hopped down off the stool and followed Joey into the study where her make-shift art studio was set up. His eyes widened as he saw that Joey had set up an area next to hers with more watercolour paints, pencils and brushes along with his own paper block. She had another chair next to her own. Ben's eyes lit up and he appeared to forget that he and Joey were even at odds with one another.

"Is this for me?" He asked her. A large grin swept across Joey's face and she nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She gestured for him to sit down and take a better look. Sat next to him and watched at his excitement over the new materials. Finally finding her voice she turned to him.

"I need to work on these illustrations." She said, Ben's face fell. "But maybe you can sit with me and we can both work together." Ben smiled and reached for the tin of pencils.

For the first ten minutes they worked in a comfortable silence, when Joey felt the ice had been broken long enough she then attempted to talk to Ben.

Joey eyed Ben out of the corner of her eye and smiled, she cleared her throat.

"Don't you want me to have a baby?" She asked him, trying to make her voice calm and conversational. Ben's head snapped up, his eyes wide.

"No, I do, I really do" He said, staring up at Joey with a face of horror. Joey frowned.

"Okay so you _are_ happy about being a big brother?" Ben nodded furiously. Joey sighed and placed her paintbrush down to turn and look at Ben. "You have been acting different lately, as though you are upset and maybe you don't like me." Joey said mindful of her tone. Ben turned to look as his hands, he began to bounce his leg, Joey waited patiently for him to speak. Finally, with a shaky breath he looked up and his watery eyes locked with Joey's.

"I'm scared." He whispered. Joey leant forward.

"What are you scared of?" She asked him, thinking maybe he was worried the same which happened to Audrey would happen to her.

"That, that..."

"That something bad might happen to me or the baby. Like, your Mom?" Ben took a breath and shook his head. Joey worried her lower lip with her teeth. "Then what scares you Ben?"

"That you won't love me anymore." His voice came out in a choked whimper as he sniffled back the tears that formed. Joey could feel the bridge of her nose sting as tears built up in her eyes.

"Oh Ben, that will never happen, I love you. I will always love you." Ben offered her the first genuine smile in almost a week. He then frowned.

"But, you will have a new baby and i'm kind of sad because then the baby will have a mommy a...a real mommy. But me, i..." Ben frowned not sure how to put into words what he was really trying to say.

"Ben." Joey said. "What does a Mommy do?" She asked him expectantly. Ben shrugged.

"I don't know, I don't really have one" He said. Joey's brow furrowed.

"The painting you did for me you had me as Mommy." She said. Ben nodded sheepishly.

"The other kids were doing it and I wanted to pretend." He explained. Joey smiled down at him.

"Okay well what do you _think_ a Mommy does?"

"Um, well Avril helps Stella with getting ready for school and makes her lunch. Um she reads to her. She, she kisses her and hugs her and. And says she loves her." Joey nodded.

"And me, what do I do for you?" She asked him.

"Well. You help me with my words and numbers, and you make me cookies and my lunch. You hug me and kiss me and read bedtime stories." He paused, a small smile crossing his lips as he understood. "And you tell me you love me." He whispered. Joey nodded with a large grin.

"So, what does that make me?" She asked him.

"A Mommy?" Joey nodded.

"Your Mommy, Ben." Joey reached out her hand to wipe a stray tear which had trickled down his cheek. "And the thing with Mommys and Daddys is that we have so much love in our hearts that will never be used up, there is always enough there for all of their children. So once the baby arrives there will be more than enough for the both of you." Ben let out a breath of relief and jumped to his feet to throw his arms around Joey's neck.

"Are you sure?" He asked her, his face buried in her neck. Joey choked back the lump of emotion forming in her throat as her heart sang with happiness.

"I'm sure Ben." She whispered, holding him close and safe against her in a firm embrace.

Ben and Joey painted and talked, laughed and joked for the next hour until Jack had returned from school, he noticed the tension from the past week and earlier that morning in particular had vanished, not entirely sure how but he was thankful regardless.


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N There was a delay in this as I was unsure how I wanted the evening between the three Witters to transpire, I think I chose a realistic one, I hope. Not sure when the next chapter will be ready but hopefully sooner than this one. I haven't begun to write it yet. I would love your opinions on this chapter so please R&R._

The Least Travelled Road

Chapter 8

Pacey woke Saturday morning with no small amount of dread, while over the last few months, since Gail's wedding Pacey found himself more than okay with travelling back and forth to Capeside every so often with Joey and Ben to visit Bessie he now had to admit he felt the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. While he had the choice to visit Capeside, once he left to come home to Boston, the sea side town quickly left his mind.

Now, however it was different. As much as he was happy to see everyone back home when he visited he was able to leave it behind when he travelled back, now it appeared as though his life back there was slowly encroaching in on life here.

He didn't really know how he felt about that, what he did know was it was not something to bring about a sense of warmth or closeness. Sure John Witter was his father but Pacey also knew it really was only in name only, Pacey had stopped feeling as though he had to make that man proud of him, he didn't yearn for his love and affections. Hell, he couldn't give two fucks if the old man even liked him.

Pacey closed his eyes and groaned, rolling over, the bed empty of Joey and Ben. He sighed and opened one eye, he couldn't very well shut his eyes, pull the covers up and wait for Sunday. Slowly Pacey extricated himself from the warmth of the bed, the floorboards cool underfoot as he made his way lazily into the kitchen.

Jack sat at the kitchen counter staring off into space, a thoughtful expression over his face. The sound of Pacey noisily making his coffee pulled Jack to focus on his current surroundings.

"You got in late last night" Jack mused, wincing as he took a sip from his now cold coffee. Pacey sighed and nodded, looking around.

"Where's Jo and Ben?" He asked. Jacked jerked his head down the hall.

"Study" Pacey furrowed his brows and made his way down the hall. He had come home after midnight and had not had a chance to talk to Joey, wanting to discuss Ben and his behaviour with her, she and Ben had been sound asleep. Joey still with a book in her hand, attempting to wait up.

Pacey stilled his movements to capture the sight before him in the study, he leant up against the door, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Joey and Ben spoke quietly together, smiling and drawing together.

"Three of my most favourite people in one room" He smiled as both Joey and Ben spun their heads around in surprise.

"Daddy!" Ben jumped up in excitement, Pacey caught him easily in one arm and lifted him up to place a kiss on his forehead. "We're drawing and painting." Ben grinned. Ben motioned over to his section of the desk proudly. Pacey made his way over to where Ben and Joey were working.

Pacey bent down to kiss Joey before Ben gripped his face to turn it toward his creation, Pacey chuckled.

"Do you like it?" He asked his father, Pacey smiled and nodded. "It's the loch ness monster, swimming in the creek at Aunt Bessie's"

"Didn't you already paint that before." Ben gave his father an exaggerated eye roll.

"No, I did a dinosaur Daddy." Pacey gave Joey a sidelong glance, she smirked at him and hid a laugh. Ben then wriggled out of his father's arm and dropped to the floor. "I'm going to get dressed, Mommy said we need to get food for tonight." He grinned and ran off, oblivious to the shocked expression cross Pacey's face. Pacey's eyebrows knit as he scratched at his temple.

"Err, looks like I missed a bit when I was at work." He said, lifting a brow to Joey. She smiled and placed her paintbrush down, pushed herself up from the chair and arched her back.

"You could say that." She smiled, turning to Pacey. He shook his head slowly.

"So...what happened?" He asked her.

"We had a talk, about the way he's been behaving and what he's been thinking." Joey made her way into the hall, Pacey followed close behind. "He was worried that with the new baby he would be left out, that he didn't have a mom." Pacey nodded. "I explained to him that theirs enough love for him too, that nothing can change that. He finally understood that a mother is not about who gave birth to him."

"I'm sorry Joey." Pacey said as they made their way into the kitchen. Joey looked over her shoulder to look at him.

"About what?" She shrugged, not understanding.

"Well I knew there was something wrong, I was going to sit him down to talk, but with work and the additions to the restaurant I-" Joey dismissed his words with a shake of her head.

"Pace, I think it was really something Ben and I had to work through on our own, we did. Finally." Pacey nodded and wrapped his arms around Joey, resting his chin on her head.

"I am so happy for that, you were getting a little hard to live with Jo." Pacey smirked at her gasp of disbelief. "I was thinking self imposed exile was my only option at this point, possibly on Jen's couch." Joey rolled her eyes.

"Yeah well, Ben and I have worked it out. The hormones however, they're going to be around for a while longer yet so maybe you should have a bag packed by the door just incase." She smiled.

"Okay, you're probably right."

"Make sure it has a sturdy handle, so I can easily pick it up to throw it at your head." Pacey chuckled and tightened his hold on her.

"Jo, I said no heavy lifting" Joey shook her head and pulled out of his arms.

Pacey chuckled to begin to prepare breakfast for the household as was a quickly established ritual since moving in with Jack.

Pacey felt himself in a state of unease for most of the day, hoping each time the phone rang it would be his father breaking dinner plans. Silently hoping for some sort of crime spree to fall upon the quiet seaside town to keep John away from Boston for hours, better yet; years or a life time.

Pacey stomped around the house like a petulant child, silently asking himself why he was here, he wondered if it would be too late to send Greg home and take over at Ten. Joey watched him carefully, at first she found his childish behavior to be amusing but as she watched on throughout the day she noticed him clenching and unclenching his hands by his side, he appeared physically unable to sit still. She frowned and wondered how the night would go, knowing it didn't matter what she said to him there would be no way she could make Pacey feel any better.

Jack came to stand beside Joey as she stared out of the window at Pacey in the back courtyard.

By now it was late afternoon and Pacey stood staring off into the yard, Jack sighed and made his way over to the fridge. He placed a hand on Joey's shoulder in reassurance before making his way out to Pacey.

Jack wordlessly offered Pacey a beer which he took with gratitude. They stood there looking out over the garden, dappled with the deep umbers, differing hues of cadmiums and alizarin from the quickly depleting tree canopies above.

"How you doing?" Pacey gave Jack a sidelong glance, knowing while he himself felt as though he could barely stay within the confines of his own skin, he knew Jack must be feeling the looming moment when the good sheriff would arrive with no small amount of foreboding. While Pacey himself knew his father and his own feelings and insecurities were nothing new where this man was concerned, for Jack he could not offer any advice as it was a completely new situation.

"It's not my first encounter dealing with this type of thing." He sighed. "It's similar to high school, and while i was really having to deal with my own sexuality at the time it feels similar, while it's not me personally. I am still finding myself dealing with it all as though it is." Pacey nodded trying to understand where his friend was coming from and while he could certainly empathise with Jack he knew he would never truly understand. "How about you Pace, what are you feeling?" He asked him, knowing he too had his own problems. One being the bridging of the subject of Ben and the baby. Pacey let out a breath of turbulence, having no way of knowing what the evening would bring.

"I spent the last five years or so of my life thinking I had put everything behind me, that my father's opinion no longer carried any weight with it. While I still am sure of that I can't help but feel that most of those feelings only really came about because of the distance between us. Now, I think I am beginning to second guess everything. It would just be easier if he was back in Capeside, me here and we didn't encroach on each other's lives or at least he didn't on mine."

Jack nodded, he had talked at length with Doug over the situation, knowing it was far easier to talk about Pacey's situation than their own. Jack had suggested they met his father somewhere and went out to dinner, Doug had shaken his head and was adamant that Pacey needed to do this. While he had said he was completely over his past and had nothing left for his father to hold over his head anymore, Doug felt it was simply Pacey's false bravado and more so denial. Out of sight out of mind. While Pacey didn't readily admit it, Doug knew the last interaction he had over the wedding weekend played on Pacey's mind more than he liked. Doug could easily see this and while he and Pacey had a volatile relationship with each other in the past before Ben was born, he knew his brother and how he acted and more to the point; how he attempted to cover up his true feelings.

Jack and Pacey stood for a while, knowing the time was upon them where they had to prepare for the evening ahead of them. Pacey had offered to cook as he thought it would be the best way to avoid his father as much as humanly possible and the alternative to it would be Jack cooking. As much as Pacey and his father were at odds with one another he couldn't in good conscience allow him to be hospitalised by possible food poisoning. Jack had agreed wholeheartedly and said he would play host along with Doug who was soon to arrive.

John Witter took a moment to steal himself, sitting in the car across the road from Jack's brownstone, he sat looking at the house and wondered if he was ready for this, he was to be walking into his son's lives, this was not his life and he was beginning to feel no small amount of trepidation. John sat the gift bag on the passenger seat next to him, deciding he would leave it where it was for now. Originally he had planned for Margaret Witter to accompany him but she had politely bowed out, explaining he had to do this on his own. Being John Witter he grumbled and bellyached over her refusal but eventually agreed she was right.

So here he now sat, too late to turn back around and yet not sure if he was ready to take that step, knowing he needed to.

John took a deep breath and exited the car, a bottle of wine clutched in his hand as he made his way across the road.

Cars lined the street out the front of Jacks place, John took a deep breath and knocked. The door was opened by the older of the Witter sons, Doug smiled warmly at his father, shook his hand and ushered him inside out of the cold. John held up the wine with a shrug.

"Thank you Pop, let me take your coat." Doug hung his father's coat up while John looked around them cautiously, not sure what to expect. He recognised some of the other guests, one man vaguely familiar as Doug approached the dark haired, blue eyed man.

"Dad, this is Jack." He spoke, John's eyes narrowed momentarily as he took Jack's extended hand.

"Do I know you?" He asked him, Jack cleared his throat and nodded.

"We went on a fishing trip quite a few years ago." John searched his memory for some recollection of the young man and finally nodded.

"Ah yes, the terribly inept young man with the weak stomach and even weaker sea legs." He nodded, a small laugh passed through Jack's lips and he nodded. "A friend of Pacey's." John added, Jack nodded.

"It's good to see you again Mr Witter."

"John, please." John attempted a small smile at the young man, Jack nodded. The three men stood in an awkward silence before they finally became at ease with one another, to Doug's surprise his father and Jack got along quite well, it certainly helped that Jack was used to speaking to people as his position as head english teacher at Boston High required him to talk to many walks of life.

Doug looked around him and noticed Pacey was holed up in the kitchen while Joey had taken Ben to get a few last minute things which had been forgotten in her haste of shopping earlier in the day. Doug found that John was looking around the room with apprehension, perhaps wondering where Pacey was. Doug quietly excused himself and ambled his way into the kitchen. Pacey stood staring out over the back courtyard from the kitchen window, his hands firmly in his pockets to attempt to stave off the fidgeting, he found himself unable to stand still, rocking on his feet in agitation. Doug stood leaning against the doorframe, a glass of wine in his hand as he watched his brother carefully. He wondered if this was the best idea, to have their father over. Perhaps Jack had been right and gave Pacey the choice over whether he saw their father instead of this. While Doug felt his intentions were good he didn't know how the evening would play out. John had appeared understanding and non judgemental about his own news with regards to the lifestyle he lived, he also knew he never had to fight for his father's affection and acknowledgement like Pacey had.

Pacey and John were both stubborn and proud men, they were too alike and Doug knew that was why they had always clashed so much. While Pacey was never afraid to show love or affection, John however showed the other side where anger was an emotion he easily threw out. Two sides of the same coin, Doug mused.

"How's it looking?" Doug asked, Pacey spun around in surprise. He offered his brother a weary smile and nodded his head.

"We should be ready within a half hour or so" Doug nodded making his way into the room.

"You know Dad's here" He stated. Pacey chewed on the inside of his lip and nodded slowly.

"Remember the day before Mitch and Gail were remarried?" Doug shrugged, wondering where his question had come from out of nowhere. "I was packing True Love for the summer, Pop came down to see me at the dock." Pacey looked to Doug who nodded, urging Pacey to continue. "He said something that was possibly the closest thing to a compliment I ever got from him." Pacey turned to face Doug. "He said; Pacey, this looks pretty good. I was certain you were going to fuck it up." a sardonic chuckle escaped his lips, Doug however only frowned. He wondered when it became normal to accept their father's shitty parenting skills.

"He's changed Pace." Doug spoke softly, Pacey raised an eyebrow in disbelief and shook his head.

"Maybe he has Doug but...I gave up waiting for that to happen years ago." Doug sighed and turned, stopping when Pacey called out to him "I'm not going to make things difficult Doug, i'm happy he's trying with you, I really am." He let out a breath. "But" He hesitated a beat "I'm kind of done. I don't have the energy anymore Doug, I really don't."

Pacey turned back to the oven and continued to finish with dinner.

Ben tugged Joey's hand as she shifted the last minute groceries within her grasp, they made their way up the footpath to the front door. Joey cast a quick look over her shoulder as she bent down to help Ben out of his coat. She heard the gruff voice from the man she had not spoken to in many years, his tone unmistakable. Joey took a breath and hung her coat up beside Ben's and picked the bag up with deliberation, she searched to room and frowned when she didn't see Pacey. Quickly she decided to pass the living room and made her way down the hall and into the kitchen out the back.

Pacey busied himself with the tasks, only mildly acknowledging their return.

"Hey"

"Hey" Pacey turned to face Joey, she could see the guarded expression on his face and knew right then he had not ventured out of the kitchen since his father had turned up. Joey nodded to the various platters and plates on the benches.

"Everything ready?" She asked him, he offered a curt nod as response and took a breath, a moment to mentally prepare himself for the evening ahead. Joey made her way to the fridge to put the fresh strawberries in the fridge she had forgotten to buy earlier to go with dessert. She also put the tub of ice cream and chocolate sauce she had bought for Ben in lieu of the adult dessert.

Joey helped Pacey to take the food into the dining room and left to announce that dinner was ready. She watched closely at Pacey watching his father who had hesitated in the doorway behind the other guests.

"Pop." A simple word of acknowledgement was all Pacey could give his father.

"Pacey" The understanding that his son was none too pleased to see him was also realised. Both men took their seats on opposite sides of the table. Ben sat between Joey and Pacey, he smiled shyly at John. He was given a warm smile in return, Joey found this reassuring and out of character for the older Witter man and wondered if he had infact been a pod person and the aliens had finally brought back the real man.

Throughout dinner Joey tried to steal small inconspicuous glances toward Pacey, to see how he was holding up. He appeared to have relaxed considerably despite the looks both he and Ben were getting from John.

"It's great to see you again Joey." John said, looking to her briefly.

"You too Mr Witter." He nodded, looking to Ben. Pacey cleared his throat.

"Come on Pop, out with it." This came from Pacey, the warning in his voice caused Joey to close her eyes briefly. She really hoped they all could have stuck with the hollow chit chat, it appeared Pacey was getting a little sick of it however.

Jen watched as Joey stiffened in her seat, briefly glancing at Ben. Everyone had by that point finished dinner and were sitting engaging in conversation. Wanting to take some of the stress from Joey and Pacey she stood up and looked down at Ben.

"C'mon Ben let's go find some ice cream for you." She said, also offering a hard stare at Jason who stood quickly, certainly not needing any coaxing.

"I'll get on with that dessert" He said, looking to Jack who appeared in two minds of what to do. "Can you help Jack?" He asked, Jack sighed with relief. Wanting to leave John with his sons and Joey.

Pacey sat patiently waiting for his father to speak, knowing yet another confrontation was inevitable Pacey was tired of it. He was sick of hearing what he had heard his entire life. He knew this was different because while being around him brought on those insecurities of his past he now could recognise them as simply habit. Now he didn't care because he was no longer that person, he had lived the years since that Christmas night over five years without his father in his ear. He had lived happily and certain of who he was or at least who he wanted to be.

There was a long moment of silence, Joey looked to Doug, hoping he would say something to break the moment of silence. He kept quiet, only allowing his eyes to look between Pacey and his father. Truth was he was no better at communicating than his father, while he pushed for this he wondered if too much time had passed between father and son to fix which had irrevocably become damaged between the two.

While he didn't blame Pacey, he knew his father was not solely to blame either. John Witter was a man who found it difficult to express love or affection, when affection was expressed it was never on Pacey. Pacey was not prepared to accept that their father may have changed, while he doubted he truly had, he had noted a shift in him since seeing Pacey for the first time since before the accident. He was noticeably different the last time Doug had spoken to him.

John cleared his throat and stood from the table, Pacey raised his brow in curiosity.

"Let's take a walk son." He said, his voice it's usual gruffness devoid of emotion or warmth. Pacey downed the last of his wine before stepping up, Joey's eyes widened but Pacey's soft smile put her at ease. He leant down and kissed her softly before moving down the hall.

Joey looked to Doug.

"It'll be fine." He said to her, trying to calm her. Joey only nodded, not sure if Doug was saying it to convince her or himself.

Both men walked in silence, their hands stuffed in their pockets, Pacey had no desire to speak to his father if it was all going to be along the same lines as the usual over done conversations of the past. He was done with that and he was not interested in reliving it.

"So, you're living with Jack now?" Unable if he was having a dig at him or merely asking out of curiosity Pacey nodded.

"Yep."

"I like him. He seems like a good man." John spoke. Pacey smiled, at least he had something good to say about someone.

"He is, he really cares about Doug."

"That's good. Doug deserves to find someone" Pacey stopped and looked at his father. He raised an eyebrow.

"You're okay with it?" He asked. John shrugged.

"Yeah. It was a shock at first but. I don't know, I don't think it changes who he is does it." Pacey allowed a sardonic chuckle escape his lips and shook his head.

"Nope, not in the slightest." They walked on, a quiet came over them. Pacey wondered when his father was going to start on at him about his life, of how no matter what he did it would never be good enough.

"I was wrong Pacey." He stated simply, nodding shortly at Pacey's look of confusion. "About a lot of things, most things really." He added. Pacey still wasn't sure where his father was going with this. They took a few more steps together in silence.

"I was talking to Gail Leery." John said. Pacey's head snapped up in surprise, his father offered a small smile. "She told me everything, about Ben." Pacey took a deep breath and nodded, not knowing what to say. His father continued however. " It appears that regardless of how I treated you over the years you have grown up. Grown into a man I am proud of Pacey. To sacrifice so much for a child that, biologically is not yours." These words were the words Pacey had waited his entire life to hear from his father, now that his father had finally spoke them Pacey wondered if they made a difference or if it was in fact too late.

"I've lived most of my life being treated as the family loser, by you mostly but by all of you." Pacey stopped to kick at the loose concrete on the edge of the sidewalk. He looked to his father. "The last five or so years I have come to the realisation that I don't need you to be proud of me, I don't need your approval. I have achieved a lot in that time, a successful business which it going very well, well enough I am able to renovate it and expand it for the better. I have my own place. I have a son who I love more than anything in the world and I tell him that every chance I get. When I first moved back to Boston I was really happy, I didn't think I could be any happier." Pacey smiled as he began walking again. "Then the love of my life came back into my life and that's when I realised something had been missing, but now, I am completely whole and with a baby..." John grasped Pacey on the arm lightly, his eyes widened.

"Baby?" Pacey grinned.

"Yeah, Jo and I are having a baby. She's pregnant Pop." John laughed and shook his head.

"Congratulations son."

"Thanks." Pacey's expression now pulled into one of seriousness. "I have achieved all of this, without you." Pacey shrugged. "While I appreciate that you have recognised that you have been wrong about so many things I just..." Pacey sighed. "I just wonder how you actually expect that it has changed anything."

John Witter stood, eyeing his son carefully.

"I don't know Pacey." He said honestly "I really don't know. I wish I could say something that would make this situation easier but I know that I can't. Nothing can wipe away my mistakes. But I am willing to try Pacey." John halted Pacey's forward movements with a hand on his shoulder. "Do you think it's possible. For us to maybe have a chance at being a father and son?"

They turned and moved back down the sidewalk towards Jack's place. Pacey had taken so long to finally get to the point where he no longer sorted his father's approval or wished he'd received his love. He was finally at a place where he had everything he could possibly want and it was without anything given to him by his father.

"While I am happy you are not the heartless bastard I always figured you to be pop, that deep down there inside of you that organ does actually beat. I am not prepared to set myself up for the hurt. I am also really happy that you accept Doug and Jack being together because he needs that from you. I don't need anything from you Pop, maybe it will change and I do hope things might change between us. Nothing is going to change with a singular conversation because it took me years to finally feel good about who I am."

John nodded and they walked the rest of the way in silence. Pacey watched as John asked him to wait while he ducked across the road to his car, emerging with a gift bag. Pacey eyed him curiously.

"It's for Ben." He stated. Pacey smiled, happy for the effort on his father's behalf. The two men made their way back over to Jack's brownstone, both hoping it was a night to begin reconciliation between Father and son, yet the two of them knowing it would take time and effort for the both of them.

John was mildly hopeful while Pacey was skeptical, in the back of his mind he knew he would only be let down yet again because quite simply put John Witter was only capable of putting his younger son down and causing nothing but heartache for him.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Apologies for the long wait since last update, busy with a couple of commissions as well as I have started another P/Jo story, it is AU so hopefully I will have that up in the coming weeks or so. _

_There won't be as much of a break between this chapter and the next as Chapter 10 is almost finished, please R & R as it's what spurs me on and encourages me to keep writing._

_Thank you so much!_

The Least Travelled Road

Chapter 9

Joey moved about with urgency, piling gifts into the back of the truck early christmas eve before Ben woke. Pacey ventured down the hall, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He watched in surprise as Joey moved about in a frenzy. Moving forward to still her movements he pulled her to him.

"Hey Jo, calm down." He said with worry and a small amount of amusement.

"I can't Pace, Ben might wake up soon. I want to get this done incase he does." Pacey shook his head and tugged on her hand toward the living room.

"Let me Jo. I don't want you exerting yourself." He said softly, Joey shook her head trying to pull out of his arms. "Jo. Sit down" He said firmly with warning.

"I'm not crippled Pace." She said with irritation, Pacey sighed. He knew she wasn't, he knew she was capable of doing it but she was also stubborn and would try to do things she shouldn't be doing, like the day he came home from work to find Joey on the ladder attempting to string the christmas lights along the outside of the house.

He didn't mean to wrap her up in cotton wool but after going through what he did with Audrey he was not taking chances, he found himself sitting in the doctors office challenging everything the poor man said, it was surprising he hadn't been kicked out of there yet.

He supposed there was always next month.

"I know Jo, but could you please just let me do this?" Joey sighed knowing Pacey would not be backing down. She nodded and decided to start on breakfast, they were going to have breakfast before Jack left for Providence and Jen, Jason and Grams left for New York.

Pacey locked Jack's place up, knowing the night before would be the last time they would stay as semi-permanent guests in his place, Pacey smiled as he made his way back to the truck, loaded up with Christmas gifts and bags for the two nights stay in Capeside at the B&B.

The renovations were finally complete and everything had been completed on time, in truth Pacey expected them to be done later so a week and a half was better than expected seeing as it coincided with Christmas. Pacey kept his lips tightly sealed and didn't divulge information to Joey, as far as she knew they would be returning to Jack's brownstone after their Capeside stay.

Joey eyed Pacey carefully, noting his expression.

"We ready?" He grinned.

"Yes." She said with apprehension, giving him a sidelong look.

"What?"

"I don't know Pacey, you are very cheery this morning." She laughed. "It's a little disconcerting actually." Pacey laughed and pulled out onto the street, shaking his head.

"I'm not allowed to be happy Jo? it's Christmas Eve. I have you, Ben and our baby." He said, leaning over to place his hand over the swell of her stomach. "Why wouldn't i be happy?" Joey smiled and placed her hand over his. They drove along the roads to Capeside listening to Ben's hyperactive chatter, excited to be spending the Holidays with Alex, his best friend according to him which was fine with Alex as he had taken Ben under his wing and thought himself to be the big brother type to the younger child. As they passed the_ Welcome to Capeside_ sign Joey glanced at Pacey, and while he didn't have a hold on the wheel as though hanging on for dear life Joey knew him enough to see the tension in his body, unnoticeable to everyone but the one person who knew him.

"Pace?" He knew she sensed it, she always did. They could communicate for days, weeks without words and know exactly what the other was not speaking. He looked to Joey and offered her a smile, it was a smile to reassure her everything was fine, well relatively so given the circumstances. The last christmas they were in the same vicinity, Joey's heart had been broken and Pacey almost lost his life. Pacey figured they were pretty much the same as far as he was concerned, never wanting to ever hurt her the way he did when he left, knowing life would not be worth living if she wasn't in it.

Joey wanted to ask him, she knew what the answer would be but somehow the question still needed to be said.

"Do you plan on seeing your family?" She asked it, Pacey wished she hadn't. He didn't want to get into an argument over it, he really didn't but he knew she wasn't going to let it go. Sure, John Witter had turned up for a meal and they had spoken, it was a start and that's all it was; a start.

Bridges didn't miraculously get built that night, nor did Pacey expect them to and to be honest he wasn't really interested in trying, not now anyway. He knew his father was not so blind that he expected everything to be the way they should be. Pacey truly believed that John Witter didn't have a clue how things were supposed to be because for a long time he made his way through life thinking he was doing the right thing, bringing his children up to be tough, respectful adults. He seemed to have missed out on the loving a compassionate teachings that were also needed.

No, Pacey did not need this, not now.

"No Jo, I don't." He said to her, his eyes meeting hers briefly before turning back to the road. Chewing her lip she contemplated this, should she push for it, should she respect his decision?

Before she could speak Ben squealed from the back seat.

"We're here! we're here!" Pacey laughed, pulling the car into the driveway and hurrying to get out he opened the door to let Ben out and made his way round to open Joey's door.

"Can we discuss this later?" Pacey asked Joey, she nodded and they made their way behind hurricane Ben into the B&B.

With all thoughts of his family pushed to the very deep recesses of his mind Pacey was determined to have a great christmas, without the angst of history rearing it's head, no family issues or ghosts of the past until the knock on the door sounded later that afternoon.

Ben was playing video games with Alex in the bedroom and Joey and Bessie were arguing over cot linen. Pacey sat at the kitchen table with a hot cocoa chuckling as the two sisters didn't back down from the other.

Pacey's head jerked up at the sound of the knocking on the door, he stood up knowing there were never guests booked it for the few days over christmas and the Potter B&B advertised no vacancies. Pacey ambled his way over to the door and opened it, upon seeing who was at the door, laden down with luggage Pacey faltered and looked toward Bessie's bedroom with apprehension. The man looked at him, mild shock passed over his face as he regarded the younger man who stood in the doorway protectively.

"Pacey Witter, it has been a long time since I have seen you." He stated, looking over the man he knew as a wise cracking sixteen year old boy. Pacey scratched at his temple in thought.

"Nine years if my memory serves me correctly." Pacey stated, the man nodded, standing awkwardly waiting to be invited inside. Pacey stood silent for a beat before stepping aside and allowing him to enter.

Footfall sounded down the hall as Joey and Bessie made their way back to the kitchen.

"All i'm saying Jo is a themed nursery would be cute, i'm not saying to go crazy with the-" Bessie's face fell, Joey stopped short.

"Hello Dad."

Gail Leery sat on the floor finishing her gift wrapping, humming christmas songs happily as she fastened the last gift card to the last gift. She had bought a warm winter coat and a dinosaur play set for Ben, hoping to give it to him personally. She heard the front door open and the familiar voices travelled down the hall, Gail stood up and smoothed the creases of her long skirt down to greet her guest.

"Dawson!" She beamed. Dawson dropped his bags and pulled his mother into a strong embrace.

"Merry Christmas Mom" He smiled kissing his mother on the cheek. Gail tugged on Dawson's hand as her husband took Dawson's bags up to his room.

"How was your flight?" She asked him, he nodded wearily, allowing himself to be taken into the kitchen to sit down. He nodded.

"Good." He said, Gail eyed him suspiciously. She noted his tired face, dark circles had formed since she had last seen her son and he appeared to have lost weight.

"Have you been looking after yourself dear?" She asked him. Dawson sighed and sat back in the chair, he nodded.

"Things have been a little hectic" He started. "Just a few minor set backs with the Creek." He said, drawing his fingers through his hair and shaking his head. "I can't believe how big Lily's getting, every time I see her i'm sure she's grown at least half an inch."

Gail laughed and nodded her head, she certainly was growing up, Gail was certainly proud of the young girl. She had her father's undying optimism but unlike Dawson Lily also held onto a healthy dose of realistic skepticism which was lost on both Mitch and Dawson.

"She sure is growing up." She agreed.

Dawson and Gail sat, chatting over coffee and filling each other in on each other's lives. Gail was careful to skip over any conversation which could possibly venture into murky waters. She knew they would need to have a conversation about Ben, she had not told Dawson that she knew about him or his situation. Gail was in contact with Pacey and Joey, they spoke on the phone at least once a week. Truth be told she wasn't really concerned with what Dawson thought about it, she was determined to be part of that little boys life regardless of her son's opinion on the matter. After some time Gail stood to begin dinner while Dawson excused himself to take a nap before dinner.

Pacey sensed the tension between Joey and her father went beyond his past jaunt in prison or the actions which put him in there. Pacey watched the strained exchanges between Joey and her father, clearly there was something he had missed in the fives years he and Joey were estranged from each other. The sidelong looks Pacey received from Mike Potter also did not go unnoticed. While Pacey wanted nothing more than to say something he decided biting his tongue was a much better alternative to the wrath of a hormonal Potter woman.

It was something he could easily ignore if it meant Joey could relax.

"Let's take a walk." It was Mike who had decided enough was enough. Pacey's eyebrows lifted at the man and nodded his head, they moved silently to capture their coats, Joey's face hardened to which Pacey offered her a silent look, a look that said everything would be okay. She nodded however her eyes betrayed her, Pacey was walking into this blind having not seen this man since he was still in school.

Pacey followed Mike Potter out into the biting cold, snow covered the earth and blanketed everything in a clean white veil. Mike was silent as they slowly took steps along the drive and onto the street, they walked for a time in silence, the sound of there breath passing their lips and their shoes on the dirt road beneath the only sound.

"I wasn't aware that you and Joey were seeing each other." Mike said, Pacey detected a bitterness to his voice. "Is it serious?" He asked him. Pacey frowned then nodded, wondering how long it had been since Joey and her father had spoken. He nodded to the other man.

"Yes." He said to him. "How long has it been since you and Jo have spoken?" Pacey asked him. Mike took a breath and finally looked to Pacey.

"I came here two days after christmas, the year of your accident" Mike said, Pacey nodded his head slowly. Clearly a lot had happened and Mike harboured ill feelings over what transpired.

"I take it you and Joey spoke about..." Pacey's voice trailed off, thinking about Joey's miscarriage still stirred feelings within him. Mike nodded his head.

"We had an argument the day after you left the hospital." Mike said to him, Pacey pushed his hands into his pocket and nodded his head. "Dawson was here for her which I am happy for. She had someone to be here for her when she had to deal with her loss." Pacey could feel his body tense with the mention of his name.

"Mr Potter, Joey and I have been through a lot to get to this point in our lives. A lot has happened over the years, while I wish I could -"

"No, you have no idea Pacey. Joey was a mess when you left, nothing you went through over those years could possibly be anything compared to what she went through and if it wasn't for Dawson in the beginning I don't know how she would have survived it." Mike's voice was bitter and filled with resentment. "You haven't really changed from that wise ass teenager I knew Pacey, people don't change that much." He said. While as a child Mike did actually like the boy, he had to admit it. For someone to be involved with his daughter however he did not like. Pacey Witter was not good enough for his daughter, he didn't go to college, he didn't think things through before taking off and leaving a mass of destruction. Dawson was the one who was dependable, he was the one that would stick by those most important, Pacey? Well Pacey was not that man, he would be the one to always screw things up and never learn from his mistakes. Pacey laughed ruefully at the man and shook his head. He pushed his hands back into his pocket, seeing this conversation clearly finished he began to walk away.

"You would see it that way wouldn't you." He spoke to him over his shoulder. "Maybe you're right. Maybe people don't change and maybe you never really knew them to begin with, but you know what; we all draw out moral lines in the sand." Pacey walked away, making his way back to the B&B, leaving Mike staring after him.

He entered the kitchen, his hands balled into fists at his sides, he knew the holidays was going too smoothly, that in some form or other a shoe would inevitably drop. Whether by him or someone else. Pacey washed his hands and began to prepare dinner, Bodie would be home and Pacey hardly expected him to cook after a long shift at the restaurant. Joey walked up behind Pacey, he felt her hands slide around his waist.

"Pace?" She knew something was wrong, she knew her father would say something, it caused her stomach to clench inside. Pacey only shook his head, another issue he locked the door on, keeping her shut out. Joey sighed but didn't want to push him, she knew Pacey well enough that he would come to her eventually, he always did. Now simply wasn't the time. Joey kissed him on the shoulder and felt as he relaxed beneath her.

"I beat him, I beat him!" Ben came barreling out from the hall to jump into Pacey's arms. Mike Potter shut the door behind him, looking at Pacey and the young boy with interest. "Daddy I beat Alex, he didn't even let me win." He beamed, Pacey chuckled, bringing his son in close to kiss him on the forehead.

"That's great Benji." He smiled. Ben wriggled out of his father's arms and ran back into the bedroom.

Mike's eyes were wide in shock, Joey looked to her father and inclined her head to the door. "I'll go and get the ice cream to go with dessert." Joey said to Pacey, he smiled at her and drew the car keys from his pocket to hand to her.

"Please be careful on the roads Jo." He said. Joey smiled and kissed him softly on the lips.

"I will Pace." She spoke tenderly.

Joey sat in the drivers seat, waiting for her father to seat himself before started the car and heading in toward the centre of town. Anticipating the words Mike was to speak Joey held up her hand to stop him.

"Don't." She said and shook her head "Just don't. I don't want to rehash the same argument from five years ago. Pacey and I are together, we have sorted so much out and are at a good place now, a great place." She sighed and pulled into a car space, shut the engine and turned to her father.

"He has a child Joey, a child the same age as..." Mike's words trailed off at seeing the flash of anger in his daughters eyes. She forced the door open and stepped out, her father hot on her heels. "You can't tell me that you are okay with that, getting you pregnant and someone else pregnant at the same time?"

"You have no idea about anything, you have not been a part of my life for years. Don't try to act now that you actually care. You don't know me anymore and you certainly don't know a damn thing about Pacey." Joey spun around and stormed toward Molly's Market.

Mike trotted after her and grabbed her arm, she pushed him away, her jacket opening to reveal the small but unmistakable swell of her abdomen beneath the snug fitting sweater she wore.

"Joey, you're-" Joey followed his eyes with her own.

"Yes I am and I couldn't be happier. Pacey and I, and Ben are overjoyed by this news. I don't care what you think, I know what you think of Pacey but you couldn't be more wrong about him. I am having his baby and we are are family, you are welcome to be apart of that family Dad but only if it means that you accept Pacey and Ben. While I hate ultimatums, this is one I will happily give."

Joey turned and continued on her way into the store, leaving her father watching as she walked away and him alone in the cold.

Sitting down for dinner with his family Dawson was able to find himself relax, something he had not felt for some time. He had spent the time since his last visit to the Cape in a state of perpetual depression, where nothing was working out. He had tried to dive into his work, he thought after everything that he at least had that but a few weeks before christmas they had dropped the ball, breaking the news to him while they loved the concept of _The Creek_ and the script, the network which had picked it up were going through financial issues and needed to take a step back, to focus on the shows they currently had.

While he knew things like this happened he couldn't help but think the universe was out to get him, that no matter how hard he tried there was some strange unknown force that was constantly working against him. Dawson stood in his childhood bedroom, his movie memorabilia still plastered on the wall and sat on the shelves, mocking him. Dawson frowned and picked up one of his bags and slung it over his shoulder. He made his way down to the living room and set the bag down and opened it to reveal the christmas gifts he had bought for his family. Dawson retrieved the small box he had for Joey and leant down to place it beneath the tree, he retrieved the other gifts and placed them down as well. A gift caught Dawson's attention, his eyes widened at the realisation of 'Ben' written in his mother's handwriting, he picked it up and eyed it. Lost in thought the sound of his mother pulled his attention to behind him.

"Dawson" She spoke softly "We need to talk." Dawson replaced the gift and nodded to his mother, following her into the kitchen.

Dawson and his mother sat and talked for hours, he didn't have an excuse for his behaviour, and while he told his mother he was sorry for how he reacted he knew that he had done the right thing for himself. He couldn't be held back by a child, a child would have ruined everything he had worked for.

Gail didn't admit to him she was happy he had reacted the way he had, not because she thought the same as he; that a child would have ruined his life but that he would have ruined a child's life. She wouldn't admit that despite she regretfully believed it. It took a lot for her to admit that her son was that sort of man.

After they talked, Gail stood up and motioned to Dawson to follow her.

"I want you to see this." She said and put the VHS in the player, Dawson furrowed his eyes and turned back to the screen to see Audrey on the screen, laughing while she rubbed her large, swollen belly.

_"What are you doing Pacey?" She reprimanded the camera man._

_"Come on Audrey, this is for your son to look back on in years time." Pacey chuckled as she rolled her eyes "You can't tell me you've developed a complex with the camera"_

_"No, of course not Pacey." She sighed "I'm fat."_

_"You're pregnant"_

_"I look like a whale" She frowned._

_"You look beautiful. Come on how about some words of wisdom for your son for when he's older."_

_"Ha. Okay, Honey don't grow up!"_

_"Audrey" Pacey whined at her._

_"Pacey I am not some one who talks in all those syllables like all you capsidians. All I want is for my child to grow up and be happy, to know that he was loved and have people in his life tell him they love him and are proud of him. It's nothing profound but..."_

_"It's perfect."_

_"Oh and now he should know that I was once young and wonderful and I clearly was not always the crazy old hag who is currently raising him." Pacey chuckles and the scene faded out._

Dawson sat, watching the video in silence, standing up without a word once he finished watching the tape. Gail watched him as he stepped toward the staircase, she called to him but stopped when he waved her off and told her he was going to bed. Gail couldn't tell what he might be feeling, his face seemed emotionless, guarded. He said he was going to bed and would see her in the morning, Gail frowned as she watched her son disappear and head to his room.


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N - I have not started chapter 11 yet so there will be some time before I have it posted. Okay so this chapter is what a lot have been waiting for! Plus one thing, I never really disliked Dawson, I disliked the whole soul mate, ultimatum spiel of his personality but essentially I really didn't mind his character. So hopefully after this you might like him a little better, I want to resolve issues with characters too._

_As always please read and leave reviews as I live for them!_

The Least Travelled Road

Chapter 10

As Pacey packed the truck the day after Christmas he wondered if maybe they should have spent the holiday at the Witter's House of Pain, it may have proven to be a far more enjoyable time. The household was divided, with Joey not willing to speak to her father and Pacey not having anything to say to the man on any account, knowing he had drawn his own assumptions based on what happened five years previously.

Bessie had tried to get them to communicate and Bodie had smartly stayed out of the entire saga, instead he had opted to spend most of his time with Alex and Ben.

Pacey was not going to let this get every one down, today was important as they were going back to Boston, they were going home.

Finally they began the teary goodbyes, Joey cried which Pacey found adorable, to be honest anything Joey did fueled by pregnancy hormones Pacey found adorable because she was carrying his child. Pacey just made sure he didn't tell her that because she would switch to harpy bitch mode quicker than lightning and he usually made it worse when he would admit that too was adorable.

They were finally on the road and Pacey breathed a sigh of relief.

"So" Joey began with a smirk on her lips "That was fun" Pacey chuckled and reached over to rub her leg affectionately.

"Once a dysfunctional family always a dysfunctional family. It's why we get along so well." He said on a grin, Joey nodded smiling back.

Maybe next year they would stay in Boston and have christmas with just the four of them. Ben's eyes had shut at about the half way mark between Capeside and Boston, Joey smiled at his sleeping face, how sweet and angelic he looked. She hoped the tension over Christmas didn't have some sort of damaging effect on him, Joey looked over to Pacey to find him tapping on the steering wheel in agitation. She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"Is everything okay Pace?" Pacey looked to Joey, startled.

"Um yeah, course why would. Ahem why wouldn't it?" He wasn't doing well at hiding his nervousness and he knew it but in less than ten minutes he wouldn't have to worry anymore.

"Look, I don't know what my Dad said to you Pacey but -"

"Jo, stop. I think I can handle having someone pretty much tell me i'm a loser." He laughed wryly "I mean I've been hearing it for years Jo. It's okay, really."

"No Pacey, it's not okay. It's not true, so why should you have to listen to it." Pacey smiled and shook his head.

"You know what Potter." He glanced at her. "While I may not know a lot, one thing I have learnt is that someone else's opinion of me? Is really none of my business." Pacey gave a nod to affirm what he had just stated, effectively shutting the current topic down.

Dawson picked up the last gift from under the tree, he looked around to find his mother standing with her gift for Ben in her arms.

"Ready?" She asked him, Dawson nodded and started for the door. He stopped as they reached to porch. "Forget something?" Gail asked him, Dawson nodded beginning to step back.

"I'll meet you in the car." He said before heading back upstairs to his room. Gail shrugged and made her way to the car to wait for her son.

They were silent on the short trip to the Potter B&B, suddenly overcome with trepidation, Dawson sat for a beat, Gail looked to him and smiled.

"It'll will be fine Honey." She told him, Dawson nodded although not nearly as convinced as he hoped he looked. They made their way to the porch and knocked, the sound of footsteps reverberated from inside. Bessie swung the door out and smiled at her guests, she ushered them inside the house quickly out of the cold.

"Merry Christmas" She said as she helped them with their coats. They exchanged greetings and chit chat until Bessie noticed Dawson looking around.

"She's not here." She said noticing Dawson's face fall, he nodded. "They left earlier this morning" Bessie said "Pacey was eager to get back home to give Joey her surprise." Bessie smiled.

Gail placed the gift for Ben she had, hoping to leave it with Bessie for the next time she saw Ben.

"Hello Dawson." Mike Potter entered the kitchen "Gail" He nodded his his head to the older woman.

"Mike" She smiled, stepping to pull him into her arms. "It's been awhile." He chuckled and nodded his head. Mike turned to Dawson then, hoping to have a word with the young man about Joey. He gestured outside to the man.

"Could we have a chat?" He asked him, Dawson nodded and followed Mike out, collecting their coats as they left. Mike pulled his coat around him, covering himself to ward off the chill, he looked to Dawson regarding his pensive state.

"You know I always thought you and Joey would work everything out and end up together. I thought it was going to be a forever thing." He began, Dawson offered him a smile and nodded. "You know he has a son, he has a son that is five years old and he got Joey pregnant around the same time." Mike shook his head in disgust, Dawson watched him carefully "What kind of person does that, and when Joey lost the baby he didn't care he left.

"He had a car accident Mr Potter." Dawson interjected. "He could have died, he almost did." Dawson shook his head. "Oh come on, he left for New York without a care for Joey, he didn't care about her or for the baby they lost. He hasn't changed at all, always the one to mess up. I remember you and Joey having to fix his mistakes or heaven forbid stick up for him when he got into fights and what have you." Dawson stared in incredulity at this man and wondered why Mike was being so bullheaded over this, how could he see things in such a distorted way. To not be able to see past the end of his own nose.

They stopped on the dock, Dawson closed his eyes and laughed. He laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation because it was familiar, he knew it all too well. It was something he had not quite realised until he had watched the video his mother had shown him, it was that moment where everything that was important in his life finally came into view and with the most amazing clarity.

"You are right, Pacey always just forged ahead, guns blazing. Hell bent on a one man crusade." Mike nodded. "But they were always with the best of intentions, always. Pacey was never hurtful, not on purpose. Pacey has always thought of others first,damning himself and what he wanted in favour of doing what he thought he should. That is why he left Joey, we got into an argument the night before. I told him if he stayed around Joey he would ruin her life. That is why he left, it broke his heart. But unlike me, he was willing to do that so she would move on and be all that she could be." Mike simply stared at Dawson, if ever he were to have an ally he thought he would have one in Dawson, someone he could count on to be in his corner.

"Did you know that she's pregnant?" Mike watched as Dawson's face fell as he allowed the news to sink in. To Mike's surprise a smile tugged at Dawson's lips as he recalled the adoring father in the video, he nodded.

"That's wonderful"

"What?" Dawson sighed, it was time to own up to things.

"He's an excellent father, i'm sure you've seen him with Ben right?" Mike frowned, he couldn't deny that seeing Pacey with his son was certainly the epitome of the perfect father son relationship, seeing the love for the other in their eyes was undeniable. "Well practice, probably has children to various women up the entire east coast" Mike snorted. Dawson shook his head and wondered what prison had done to this man.

"Ben is my son, biologically." Dawson said.

"He's what?" Dawson nodded.

Dawson began to tell Mike about Audrey and his part in everything, how she had died and Pacey was all that was left because no one else cared. Dawson watched at Mike's shoulders sagged with the information. Dawson pushed his hands into his pockets.

"So, you see if he is that much of an amazing father to someone else's child, imagine what kind of father he will be to his own. Pacey has everything, sure he was always a little misguided and took the road of, most resistance I guess but he's gotten there, the other side. He has his own successful business so he can provide for a family, he is loyal and most important Mike,above all is he loves her. Oh god does he love Joey with everything that he has. I don't think you could ask for anything more than that." Dawson turned away from Mike who was too stunned to even speak. "I know I am telling you all of this but to be honest I really need to be saying these things to the two people who are still so incredibly important to me." Dawson walked back up to the B&B and went inside.

Joey stood on the sidewalk, feeling utterly ridiculous in a blindfold, she held onto Ben's hand and waited for Pacey to unlock the door. Pacey had stopped the car and put the blindfold on her just as he entered Jack's street, he had driven around for a little while before stopping.

Joey now shifted impatiently on her feet while she waited.

"Pacey" She whined, pouting as she heard Pacey chuckle. "Where are we?" She asked him. Pacey shook his head and removed the blindfold. "Ten?" She questioned him looking around, her eyes lit up "The function rooms are finished?" She asked him. Pacey smiled.

"Err yes, but that's not important" Pacey took Joey's hand as they moved into the door way to the stairs of the apartment.

"Can we move back home now Daddy?" Ben asked his father. Pacey grinned and nodded as they made their way up the stairs. Joey's eyebrows furrowed as they made it to the top.

"Err Pacey, why has the entrance door moved?" She asked him. Pacey dug into his pocket and retrieved a key.

"Why don't we find out then yeah?" Joey took the key and unlocked the door. Joey's hand flew to her mouth as she looked around her, unable to speak. Pacey ushered her into the front foyer.

"Now I know it unorthodox to have the front entrance in the middle of a hall way but..." Pacey shrugged " You know me, not one for conventions Potter." Pacey gestured around them, while the large kitchen, dining and living areas remained unchanged he gestured his arm to where the guest room was, which now was removed in order to accomodate the new entrance, he motioned to their bedroom "That is now a guest room, Ben's room hasn't changed. Down here" Pacey moved to show Joey and Ben the new renovations "You will notice this is what was behind the wall opposite the original front door, when I first had this place renovated I only had half of it done because it was only Ben and I but now." Pacey grinned at Joey who was yet to find her voice. " Having a family that will be getting bigger in about five months" Pacey grinned "We need a playroom" Pacey opened a door to reveal a room with a bookshelf, a small desk and many of Ben's toys ready for him. Ben's eyes lit up.

"Is this just for my toys daddy?" He asked him, Pacey chuckled.

"Sure is Benji, now when I sit on the couch I wont have a dinosaur wedged up my - err well you get the point, toys stay in here." He told him. Ben ran into the room to go and play with his toys. Joey shook her head at Pacey, her eyes glistened with tears.

"Pacey, this is. This is..." Pacey nodded his head down the end of the hallway, passing a couple of doors. He opened it to reveal the large master bedroom, large windows lined the room, a walk in robe and large bathroom with a tub. Joey shook her head, feeling the tears beginning to fall down her cheeks. Pacey tugged on Joey's hand and pulled her to the door he walked past, he opened the door for her and let her walk in. He smiled as she gasped at the soft yellow walls, a crib was set up along with a small bookcase and changing table, there was a rocking chair in the corner and a set of drawers. There were a few items placed around to personalise the space.

"I didn't want to do too much to it, I thought you would want to decorate it yourself, something maybe we could do together." Joey nodded, she turned to Pacey, pulling him close to her and buried her head in his chest.

"I can't believe this Pacey, I can't believe what you have done. How have you done this in such a short amount of time?" Pacey grinned at her.

"When I first moved here, the idea was to renovate this part and maybe have it as a second apartment to rent out so the plans were already done, they just needed a few modifications but a lot of the work was really done." Joey laced her fingers behind Pacey's neck and pulled him to her, brushing her lips against his and kissing him, her tears falling freely as her tongue tasted his, Pacey moaned as he deepened the kiss and pulled Joey against him. He pulled back and planted soft kisses against the soft skin of her cheeks and pulled away completely. Pacey dug his hand into his pocket again to pull out a small box, a box she was very familiar with. Joey grinned and opened it to reveal a silver charm, this one was of an artists pain palette. Pacey pulled Joey along the hall opposite the play room and opened the last door for her, he watched as Joey stepped through, her mouth dropped open in surprise.

"Merry Christmas Jo." He whispered in her ear. Joey began to openly sob at what Pacey had done, he chuckled at what her hormones were doing to her. "I figured you shouldn't have to use the dining room table or Jack's study for your work, you needed your own space." He gestured to the large art studio with benches and a sink, a large studio easel. Large windows to allow natural light in. on the far wall a two seater couch and the installation of a complete gallery style hanging system. "I thought maybe you could display your work if you wanted to have open studio days to sell some pieces that way."

Joey walked around the space in awe, shaking her head in stupefaction. Pacey watched her as she made her way around, her hands running over the benches and the easel. She turned to Pacey finally.

"How can I ever thank you for what you have given me Pacey." She lifted her arms up helplessly at him. Pacey moved to close the distance between them, he cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her lips softly,his voice barely above a whisper.

"I have everything I could ever want or need under this roof." He bent down on his knees and kissed the place where their small miracle lay growing inside of Joey, he looked up to her "What I have done can not compare to what you have given me Jo." Pacey laughed as Joey began to cry again, he took her hand and lead her to their new bedroom.

"Come on Jo, how about you try to get some rest while I take Ben to get some groceries and i'll cook us dinner." Joey nodded and yawned, allowing Pacey to lead her to the bed. He retrieved a set of new pajamas for her, kissed her on the forehead and left her to change and rest.

Pacey arrived home with Ben a couple of hours later, he found an unwanted visitor on his doorstep. Ben eyed him warily and held his father's hand. Pacey took a step toward him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked him, his jaw set moving to open the door, allowing Ben to walk past and up the stairs to the apartment.

"I wanted to talk." He stated. Pacey lifted an eyebrow and looked up to see Ben standing at the top of the stairs.

"To Joey?" He asked, his eyes dropping back to regard him.

"To both of you." He said. Pacey chewed the inside of his cheek, contemplating the words he spoke. He slowly nodded his head and opened the door further for him to pass.

"I'm not sure what's left Dawson, any conversation is likely to end in yet another arguement. We just seem to go around in circles." Pacey opened the door to the apartment. Ben raced off down the hall to play with his toys, Dawson looked around in awe at the new additions. "Don't you think we would be better just cutting our losses now?" Pacey asked him, heading for the kitchen. Dawson shook his head.

"No Pacey I don't" Dawson looked around, wondering where Joey was. "Where's Joey?" He asked, Pacey bit his lip.

"She was exhausted so I told her to go and take a nap while i get dinner." Dawson nodded and smiled.

"I remember when Mom was pregnant with Lily, it really took her energy from her." Pacey head snapped up to look at the smile plastered across Dawson's face. "Congratulations Pacey."

"Dawson?" Both men looked around to find Joey standing with her robe pulled tightly around her body.

"Hey Jo." His smile wavering at Joey's hardened expression, she looked to Pacey who offered her a shrug because he could offer her anything else. He was just as confused as her as to why Dawson was now sitting in their home.

"How'd you find out about the baby?" She asked him.

"Your father." Joey laughed sardonically and threw her hands up in the air.

"Of course, let me guess you have joined forces now, to try to convince me i'm making a huge mistake and to to save me from the evil spell Pacey has me under?" She spoke with heavy sarcasm and bitterness. Dawson shook his head.

"No, not at all." Dawson looked between Joey and Pacey. "I want to try, to try and begin to mend our friendships." Dawson sighed "I know I don't deserve the chance but I really would like for us to try." He said.

"What about Ben?" Pacey asked. Dawson turned to Pacey and nodded.

"Ben too, I want to get to know Ben." He said. Pacey crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head at his former friend.

"Dawson if you think for one moment that I am going to give up without a fight well you don't know me very well." Dawson shook his head and chuckled.

"Oh I know Pacey and that's not what I am looking for, I want to get to know Ben because it's important for me. He already has a father Pacey, an amazing father. I will not be taking that away from him." Joey felt herself relax, hoping what Dawson was saying was not another one of his attempts at manipulation. Pacey looked to her, the expression on his face evident he was thinking the same thing.

"So what's changed Dawson?" Pacey asked him. Dawson sighed at Pacey, truth was many events caused him to have his current revelation, the tentative state of The Creek, the fact that without work he had nothing, no real friendships no one to share his life with. Once he had watched the video of Ben, Pacey and Audrey he released the rest of his animosities, life was simply too short to hold onto things that didn't matter. Sure he loved Joey still but he also realised it wasn't the kind of love that was romantic. He had simply been too stubborn to admit it, to admit that he and Joey were never meant to be, that he and Joey never should have tried to begin with. The love Pacey had for Joey and vice versa was the kind of love great movies tried to replicate, the love that only happened once in a life time if you were lucky. "I think I have finally grown up" Dawson chuckled at himself, Joey shook her head in disbelief. "I'm willing to do anything to regain your trust, anything because I know this friendship while almost completely fractured there's still something left, I have got to believe that and I need to hold onto it."

"I guess we could try." Joey said softly, looking to Pacey for encouragement, he nodded slowly. He knew Joey well enough to know the rift between she and Dawson was eating away at her, he didn't want to be the one that caused her to abandon the friendship. He didn't want to be the reason a part of her was damaged, truth was that he too missed Dawson, whether it was Dawson's friendship or simply a part of his youth he tried to hold onto he couldn't say for sure. He was willing to try, for Joey at the very least, and while Ben didn't know about Dawson's true relationship to him Pacey knew he would never deny Ben the truth when he was older.

Pacey also knew, while optimism was a wonderful idea it was no way to live ones life, not wholly anyway, not to the point where one would live only for it. Pacey knew that life was a bitch and would knock you on your arse at every chance that it was given, he would never allow that to be too far from his mind, Pacey was a pragmatist and he knew when it was time to throw caution to the wind but he also knew when the time came how to be realistic.

They could try to build their friendships, Pacey knew it would be harder to regain a trust once was there, Joey knew this as well and while Dawson may be saying he had grown up Pacey wondered how true that was and how long it would take before Dawson found himself back into his bubble. Pacey just hoped they wouldn't become pulled into it along with him.

Pacey invited Dawson to stay for dinner which he accepted, he even attempted to spend time with Ben, who was wary of Dawson. A near death experience by way of strawberry might have been the unforgotten issue holding the young boy back.

By the end of dinner Dawson had given the gift from Gail to Ben, explaining she would have liked to have given it to him personally. Ben loved it, especially the dinosaur playset. Dawson set a gift bag down on the table and pulled out a familiar item from their childhood to give to Ben.

Collectors E.T doll, Ben chuckled and said he had seen the movie and ET was funny, and weird and very ugly. Dawson laughed and he had to admit ET was ugly. Dawson reached in to pull out the last gift, he placed the box on the counter before Joey.

"What's this Dawson?" She asked him, picking it up curiously.

"A gift for you and i guess all of you." He smiled, watching Pacey and Joey look to one another.

Joey slowly opened the box to reveal a gift certificate. Pacey smiled at Dawson nodding his head.

"Dawson this it, thank you." She smiled. Dawson nodded.

"There isn't an expiration on it so, it might be nice to do once the baby's born." He smiled. "He's supposed to be one of the best Family portrait photographers in Boston." Dawson motioned to the certificate. "So you will need to make an appointment." He spoke.

Tears begun to sting at Joey's eyes, it was a beautiful gift had it been given by anyone, the fact it was Dawson made it appear far more special, as though he finally accepted that Joey and Pacey were a family, that Ben was a part of that family.

Maybe Dawson had truly grown up.


End file.
